How to play
- Mark a 10 by 10 metre square. Play in groups of five: four outside the square, one on each side, and one defender in the middle. One ball per group, and as many squares side by side as you need, so nobody waits.
- The four outside players keep the ball with passes. They may move along their own side, but not into the square.
- Ten passes in a row score a point for the outside players.
- The defender scores a point by winning the ball or making it leave the square. The player who lost it, or whose pass was cut out, swaps into the middle.
The decision it trains
The player on the ball has a moment to decide which teammate the defender cannot reach. So the look happens before the ball arrives, and the choice is between the two side passes and, when the defender commits to one side, the pass straight through the middle. The players without the ball decide where along their side to stand so a line stays open. The defender decides which pass to take away first.
Make it harder or easier
What to ask at the breaks
"Before the ball reached you, where was the defender?"
"When did you have two passes to choose from, and when only one?"
"Defenders: which pass were you taking away, and what did that leave open?"
Where it is played, and what it is called
Each name links to its sourcePortugalmeinho Source ↗meiinho Source ↗
Brazilroda de bobinho Source ↗bobinho Source ↗
AustraliaKeepings Off Source ↗
United KingdomPossession Pig in the Middle Source ↗
United States4 vs. 2 Keep-Away Source ↗
CanadaRondo Switch Source ↗
Netherlandspositiespel Source ↗
Spainrondo / rondito Source ↗
Francetoro Source ↗
Italytorello Source ↗
Japan鳥かご Source ↗
South Korea론도 훈련 Source ↗
NigeriaMiddle man Source ↗
Iraqالروندو Source ↗
South Africa5 vs 1 Source ↗
ArgentinaEl Loco Source ↗
Chilerondo Source ↗
Serbiaševe Source ↗
PolandDziadek Source ↗
Where it comes from
Nobody can name the inventor, and the claims contradict each other. Laureano Ruiz says he invented it in 1957, FC Barcelona's own site credits Johan Cruyff, and English Wikipedia places it at Derby County in the early 1970s. It is also a children's game in many countries. Spain says rondo, France toro, Italy torello, Portugal meinho, Argentina el loco, Britain piggy in the middle, Japan torikago (鳥かご). In Brazil it is bobinho, the "little fool" being the one in the middle.
Sources (10)
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keep_away
- ctac.esrc.unimelb.edu.au/biogs/E000269b.htm
- sportplan.net/sketches/Football/openSketch/5189384
- sportsessionplanner.com/s/iIBAh/Social-Distance-Training-(Passing-and-Intercepting).html
- thepedept.com/activities/possession-pig-in-the-middle
- mojo.sport/coachs-corner/10-best-u10-soccer-drills/
- canadasoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/CanadaSoccerPathway_CoachsToolKit_FUNdamentals_EN.pdf
- knvb.nl/node/27360
- knvb.nl/node/38012
- knvb.nl/content/185a-2-tegen-2-2-neutrale-2-vakken-positiespel
