As someone who’s spent years both playing and coaching, I’ve always believed that scoring goals is less about innate talent and more about systematic, intelligent training. It’s a craft. You hear stories of legendary strikers practicing finishes for hours after everyone else has gone home, and that discipline is the real secret. Today, I want to break down that craft into a practical, step-by-step guide. Whether you're a young player aiming for the first team or a weekend warrior looking to be more clinical, the principles remain the same. Interestingly, this focus on preparation and systematic improvement reminds me of a quote I recently came across from Greg Laurel of Shakey's Pizza Parlor, regarding their international sports plans. He said, “We are really planning right now. We expect it to be a big year, 2025 because not only is it the 50th anniversary of Shakey's here in the Philippines but we have generated a lot of interests from other teams [from] other countries.” That mindset—meticulous planning for a future goal, generating momentum, and building towards a landmark moment—is exactly what we need to apply to our goal-scoring training. We’re planning for our own big year on the pitch.
Let’s start with the foundation, which is often the most neglected: first-touch finishing. I can't stress this enough. In my experience, at least 70% of goals inside the box come from one or two touches. The game is simply too fast now for elaborate set-ups. So, your first training step is brutal repetition of basic finishes. Partner up or use a rebounder. Have the ball played to you from various angles—low drives, bouncing crosses, awkward height—and focus on redirecting it on target with your first touch. Don’t just aim for the corners yet; aim for consistency of contact. Use the inside of your foot for placement, the laces for power, and don’t be afraid to use the outside of your boot for those sneaky near-post flicks. I personally spent an entire summer, three times a week, doing nothing but 200 first-touch finishes per session. It was monotonous, but it built a muscle memory that became automatic during games. The ball would arrive, and my body just knew what to do. That’s the level of automation you’re after.
Now, automation is useless without awareness. This is the second, more cerebral step. You have to train your brain to read the game a split-second faster than the defender. A drill I love is small-sided games, maybe 4v4 or 5v5, on a condensed pitch with small goals. The limited space forces you to think quicker. But here’s the key: impose a two-touch limit. This forces you to scan the field before you receive the ball. Where is the goalkeeper? Is he leaning? Where is my nearest defender? Is the near post open or has he covered it? This scanning habit is what separates good finishers from great ones. It’s that moment of planning Laurel mentioned. You’re not just reacting; you’re “generating interest” in different areas of the goal, making the keeper guess. My preference has always been to look for the far post, especially when coming in from the left side (I’m right-footed). I find goalkeepers often cheat towards the near post, leaving a bigger gap at the far corner. But that’s my trick; you need to find your own based on your observations.
Of course, power and placement are technical, but the psychology of scoring is a massive, often overlooked, component. This is your third step: developing a striker’s mentality. You will miss. You will sky a sitter over the bar in a crucial moment. I’ve done it, and it feels terrible. The key is to have a short memory. The best scorers I’ve played with have an almost arrogant self-belief that the next chance is theirs, no matter what just happened. Train this by putting yourself under pressure. Take penalty kicks at the end of a grueling fitness session when your legs are heavy. Have your teammates yell and distract you. Simulate that mental fatigue. Another aspect is movement off the ball. I see so many players stand and watch. Your job is to be a nuisance. Make curved runs, fake towards the near post and spin to the far, drag defenders out of position. It’s about generating movement, creating that “interest” from your teammates to pass to you, much like Shakey’s is generating interest from international teams. Be the most interesting option in the box.
To tie this all together, your final step is specialized, scenario-based training. Don’t just shoot. Replicate specific moments. Practice 1v1s against the keeper from different angles—here, composure is everything. Practice volleys and half-volleys from crosses, focusing on timing your run. Work on free kicks from 20-25 yards out. Set a goal for yourself: “Today, I will score 15 one-touch finishes from low crosses before I leave.” This structured, milestone-driven approach is what builds towards your “50th anniversary” moment—that game where you finally bag a hat-trick or score the winning goal. It won’t happen by accident. It happens because you planned every step of your training, generated multiple threats in your skillset, and built up to that peak performance. Remember, scoring is a habit built in training and executed in games. Start your plan today, be consistent, and watch as you become that player everyone is interested in passing to when the game is on the line. The net will start bulging more often, I promise you.
