The Pele Series

You’ll need a partner and a ball. Face each other about 3 to 5 yards apart.  It’s best to start doing the drills while standing basically in one place, but as you get better, you can move forward and backward.  To add a fitness element, jog/run in place while executing the techniques.

Each series starts with your partner playing the ball to you.  Do ten repetitions, then you play the ball to your partner for ten repetitions.  Always start with your strong foot (designated here as the right), but don’t neglect the other foot.  Do an equal number of repetitions with both feet.  Adjust repetitions as needed.

1. Have your partner pass a ball on the ground.  Trap with the outside of your right foot, and play it back to her/him with the inside of your right foot.  Now trap with the inside of your right foot, and play it back to her/him with the outside of your right foot.  Switch to your left foot, and work on various traps and passes with the inside and outside of both feet.
2. Next from about 5 yards away, have your partner throw balls to you with her/his hands.  Trap the ball with the inside of your strong foot, smooth out the ball on the ground if your need to, and play it back to her/him on the ground.  Try using your other foot and different surfaces.  Also try to catch the ball with the laces and smushing the ball with the inside of the foot against the ground (make sure to get the inside of the knee out over the ball to complete this properly).
3. Next have your partner throw the ball towards your knees or thighs, play the ball back into his/her hands with the inside of the foot.  Have some services played higher so that the worker needs to jump and adjust the position to execute the technique.  Repeat using the laces or instep of the feet.
4. Next have your partner throw the ball with a little loft on it, trap on your thigh, clean it up, and pass it back on the ground.  Switch thighs and feet, but make sure you are making a deliberate effort to trap with a particular thigh and pass back with a certain foot.
5. Have your partner toss the ball high in the air, then trap it on your thigh and knock it back into her/his hands out of the air without its bouncing.  Do this with your chest and head as well.  With the head, try to first trap and then pass back without the ball dropping or using any other surfaces.
6. Have your partner toss you the ball, then trap it (tap it up in the air) with a first touch of the laces or inside of the foot and then kick it back to her/his hands with a second touch using the laces or inside of the foot.  These are called “double-touches.”  Use the same foot for both touches. 

-Taken from GO for the Goal: A champion’s guide to winning in Soccer and Life by Mia Hamm