Shielding means keeping your body between a defender and the ball so they can't reach it. It lets you keep the ball under pressure when your passing options are cut off, hold it until a teammate arrives, or turn away. The Laws of the Game allow it only while the ball is within your playing distance and you don't hold the defender off with your arms or body.
Get between
Turn side-on and put your body between the defender and the ball. The ball goes on your far side, at the point furthest from them.
They have to go around you to see the ball.
Keep the ball within playing distance, close enough that you can touch it by stretching out your foot or leg. If the ball isn't within playing distance and you step into the defender's path to block them, that's impeding, a foul.
Make a base
Stand on the leg closest to the defender, knee slightly bent. That leg is your firm base.
Lower your centre of gravity and lean the shoulder closest to the defender toward them. Keep your head steady.
Low and solid, weight on the near leg.
Raise your near arm a little and keep it firm for balance and to feel where the defender is. Don't push, grab or hold them off with it. Holding or pushing an opponent is a foul, and shielding is only legal when you aren't holding them off with your arms or body.
Protect & move
Extend your far leg and put the sole of that foot on top of the ball, holding it as far from the defender as you can. You can also trap it in a wedge between the inside of your foot and the ground. Eyes on the ball while you control it.
If the defender commits to one side, roll the ball the other way with your far foot and turn away from them, keeping your body between them and the ball.
They lean, you go the other way.
Don't just stand on it. Get out of trouble. When a teammate arrives or the pressure eases, pass, turn or dribble away.
Feel it
Side-on, low, weight on the leg nearest the defender, the ball far away under your other foot. The defender is stuck at your shoulder and can't reach it. Expect shoulder-to-shoulder contact: while the ball is within playing distance, the defender is allowed to fairly charge you. If they keep reaching the ball, it's too close to them or you've gone square. Get side-on and stretch the far leg.
Fix-its
- The defender keeps poking the ball away The ball is on your near foot or you're facing them square. Turn side-on, extend your far leg and keep the ball under that foot, as far from them as you can.
- You get knocked off balance You're standing tall. Bend the knee of the leg nearest the defender, lower your centre of gravity and lean that shoulder in.
- You get called for holding or pushing Your arm is doing the work. Keep the near arm up and firm for balance and feel only. No grabbing, hooking or shoving.
- You get called for blocking the defender The ball rolled out of your reach and you kept blocking their path. Shielding is only legal with the ball within playing distance. Keep it close enough to touch, or go and play it.
- You hold it but never get out Watch which way the defender commits and roll the ball the other way, or pass it out to a teammate when one arrives.
Drill
- Protect the ball (warm-up): pair up, one ball each pair. On the whistle, keep your ball away from your partner anywhere in the area. When the coach freezes play, the team with the most balls wins. Start with the partner half-pressuring, then build to full pressure.
- Shielding square: 1v1 in a 4 x 4 m square. The attacker keeps the ball away from the defender with their body and the furthest foot. Swap roles every 30 seconds.
- Stay on the ball: 1v1 in the middle of an area with a teammate of each player standing just outside. Keep the ball as long as you can. If you think you're about to lose it, pass out to your teammate, who comes in and takes over.
- Progression: after the pass out, the passer stays in to make it 2v1. Shield until your teammate is ready, then combine to get the ball to an end line.
- Keep the contact fair throughout: shoulder to shoulder only. If players start grabbing or pushing, stop and reset.
By position
Any player under pressure with few passing options can shield, screen or turn to relieve that pressure. Holding the ball up until support arrives is one common use.
Sources
- US Youth Soccer — Skills School Manual: Shielding (2017), p. 19
- IFAB — Laws of the Game, Law 12 Fouls and Misconduct (latest edition, viewed 2026)
- IFAB — Laws of the Game, Glossary: Football terms (playing distance, holding offence, impede)
- FIFA Training Centre — Phillips, Strength through shielding (futsal, 2024)
- FIFA Training Centre — Protect the ball, grassroots 4–8 (2023)
- England Football Learning — Dribbling session: stay on the ball (2021)
- England Football Learning — How to help 5-11s develop their skills on the ball (2023)
- England Football Learning — Keep it or share it (2021)
Last checked 2026-10-26.