---
title: "4v4 Without Goalkeepers"
description: "Four against four, no keepers, every restart dribbled in: enough players for width and depth, few enough that nobody can hide."
canonical: https://hobbit.football/drills/four-v-four-no-keepers
language: en
publisher: Hobbit (https://hobbit.football)
---

# 4v4 Without Goalkeepers

> Four against four, no keepers, every restart dribbled in: enough players for width and depth, few enough that nobody can hide.

U6 to U10 · 8 to 8 players · 20 × 30 m · 20 min

Also called Backyard Soccer, Bumper Ball, MiniRoos Football.

![Diagram of 4v4 Without Goalkeepers](https://hobbit.football/api/game-library/diagram/four-v-four-no-keepers)

## How to play

1. Mark a pitch 30 metres long and 20 wide, with a goal about 3 metres wide and 1 metre high at each end.
2. Two teams of four. No goalkeepers: nobody uses hands, and nobody stands in goal.
3. Every restart is dribbled in: the kick-off, after a goal, when the ball goes out, a free kick. One player puts the ball down and dribbles it into play.
4. No referee. The players settle their own calls; an adult keeps time and says nothing from the side.
5. Play games of six minutes, then reshuffle the teams. With twelve or more players, run a second pitch rather than making anyone wait.

## The decision it trains

With four a side there can be a player on each side of the ball, one behind and one ahead, so the player in possession has a real choice: dribble into space, pass short to the side, or play forward. Off the ball, the other three decide where to stand so the passer can see them: wide, deep or close. When the ball is lost, all four become defenders at once, and someone has to decide to press.

## Make it harder or easier

- **Too hard:** replace the goals with the end lines, so a team scores by dribbling the ball over the opponents' end line.
- **Too easy:** reshuffle the teams after every short game and have each player keep their own tally of wins, so they have to read new teammates every round.
- **Younger players:** shrink the pitch to about 20 by 15 metres, so the ball reaches everyone more often.

## What to ask at the breaks

- "When your team had the ball, where did you stand, and could the player on the ball see you?"
- "What did you do in the first seconds after your team lost the ball?"
- "Which restart worked best for your team? What made it work?"

## Where it comes from

It has no single origin: four against four to two goals is played in many places. The Dutch federation has used it as its under-7 match format since 2017/18, with every restart dribbled in. Japan has 4対4 or ミニサッカー, and the JFA's クアトロゲーム, where teammates change every game. Switzerland plays a version on four mini goals (4 gegen 4), India includes it in its Golden Baby Leagues, and Italy (partita CFT) and France use it among their small-sided formats.

## Documented by

- Royal Dutch FA (KNVB) (Netherlands): 4 tegen 4
- Swiss Federal Office of Sport (mobilesport.ch) (Switzerland): 4 gegen 4
- Japan FA (Japan): 4対4, ミニサッカー, 4vs4 スモールサイドゲーム, クアトロゲーム, スモールサイドゲーム
- Italian FA (FIGC) (Italy): Partita CFT, Multi-partita
- Football Association of Finland (Finland): Mestaruuspelit, Pistepelit
- Football Australia (Australia): MiniRoos Football, Mini World Cup, Bonus Goals, Silent Match
- Austrian FA and state FAs (Austria): 5er Fußball
- All India Football Federation (India): Golden Baby Leagues 3v3 and 4v4
- BC Soccer (Canada)
- US Youth Soccer (United States): The Dutch Plan, The Texas Plan, 3v3 Goals Galore, clouds in the sky
- German regional FAs (Bavaria, Hamburg, South Baden) (Germany): Brasilianer, Barcelona
- Royal Belgian FA (Belgium)
- Danish FA (DBU) (Denmark)
- AYSO (American Youth Soccer Organization) (United States): Bumper Ball, The Big Match
- Ontario Soccer (Canada): Backyard Soccer
- PA West Soccer (United States)
- Sport Australia (Australia)
- Canada Soccer (Canada): Power Play
- Scottish FA (United Kingdom)
- Massachusetts Youth Soccer (United States)
- FIFA Training Centre (International)
- ONFI, Uruguay's children's football body (Uruguay)
- AB Argenteuil (France)
- Netboard (France): Match 5 contre 5

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