How to warm up your goalkeeper on match day

Think about what can be integrated into the outfield warm-up

There is nothing to say that a goalkeeper’s warm-up has to be done completely independent of the outfield group.

Parts of the outfielders’ warm-up – such as initial stretches, or a rondo – can involve goalkeepers. The latter allows the keepers to sharpen up their footwork.

It could be that you add in specific challenges for goalkeepers. If outfield players are passing a ball between each other, for example, can the goalkeepers do the same, but by throwing it between them?

This tactic is particularly useful if you have limited support staff on matchday.

Keep it consistent

There may be little tweaks here and there, dependent on the opposition, but keeping the structure and content of the pre-match warm-up as consistent as possible will mean your goalkeeper will know what to expect, no matter who is delivering it.

Monitor your keeper and adapt

Keep an eye on the goalkeeper during the warm up and how they are responding

If they are tiring quickly, don’t be afraid to slow things down or decrease the intensity. If they are not focused, don’t be afraid to mix things up to give them a new challenge.

Let your goalkeeper lead

Each goalkeeper is different. Some want a significant say in the activities they do, while others simply want to be told what to do.

Find out more about your goalkeeper and how they like to work. When working with a new ’keeper, always get their input into what they have done before and be cautious about changing too much if they are happy with their current structure.

Example warm-up

This example warm-up follows the structure I currently use with my goalkeepers.

Note that I’m currently working with adult keepers, with two in each matchday squad. I am the dedicated goalkeeper coach, meaning I lead the warm-up with them.

This example is intended to give you some ideas about structure and warm-up design, for you to adapt as you wish, based on your environment and your goalkeepers.

Timings

We head out 55 minutes before the start of a match and finish the warm-up 15 minutes before kick-off.

This 40-minute window allows us to cover a general pulse-raiser, plus dynamic movements, distribution, handling, footwork, shot stopping, 1v1s and crossing, before joining the attackers for finishing exercises.

"Some want a say in the activities they do, others simply want to be told what to do..."

The goalkeeper then has 15 minutes to return to the changing rooms, get into their matchday kit and be match-ready five minutes before kick-off.

The warm-up is split into a general activation, followed by five blocks of seven minutes each, with a clear focus to each.

General activation – 5 minutes

The first five minutes of the warm-up are player-led.

The goalkeepers work through a general pulse-raiser and some dynamic movements to prepare physically for the match. 

We use the time during these dynamic stretches to discuss our three cue words for the game, which have been agreed based on the development goals in training and expected tactical dynamics of the game to come. 

Distribution – 7 minutes

For the first of the five blocks, we work on the goalkeeper distributing the ball.

We start with some simple short passing before moving on to low, driven passing. These passes will ideally take place over match-realistic distances and pitch locations. 

We then move into practising any passing patterns we expect to play in the upcoming game. This often involves replicating playing to a centre-back and receiving the ball back, before playing either a mid- or long-range pass to a target area. 

The distribution finishes by practising long-range passing, where the goalkeeper receives the ball before quickly setting a counter-attack into the channels.

We ensure the goalkeepers practise passes over short-, mid- and long-range distances from both hands and feet.

The principle is to practise passes we anticipate the goalkeeper will play most in the game, based on our game model and tactics for that day.

These activities may therefore be adapted slightly from match to match, based on where we anticipate the spare player or space for the keeper to pass to will be.

Footwork and handling – 7 minutes

For this block, we move into a mini goal. 

To get the goalkeeper’s hands warm, we begin with some volleys. While we typically avoid volleys in training, the keepers like them pre-match in order to gain their focus, before progressing to more complex work. 

Then we do some footwork practice, moving forwards and backwards through cones placed to the side of the goal before facing a strike at pace from 12-14 yards out. 

For the second set, we move the service to 20 yards and begin striking the ball with the laces rather than the in-step. 

We finish the mini-goal work with two sets of two-touch 1v1s from six yards, where the goalkeeper decides whether to block, spread or smother the ball.

Each set of work consists of six strikes at goal to deal with, which we find balances the needs of sufficient repetition while allowing up to two goalkeepers to get through the workload in seven minutes.

Defending the goal – 7 minutes

Following our mini-goal work, we move into the full-size goal. Here, we work different movement patterns into a set position, either working backwards on an angle or off the post from a cut-back position, to then deal with a shot or 1v1 which is unknown to the keeper. Again, we work off three sets of six strikes.

"The principle is to practise passes the goalkeeper will play most in the game..."

Defending crosses – 7 minutes

The final work we do as a goalkeeper group involves dealing with crosses.

Here, I will put a cross in while the second keeper will act as mild pressure or provide a shot on goal if the ball is out of the keeper’s reach.

We work with both driven and in- and out-swinging crosses, while I will also vary the trajectory and speed on the ball in an attempt to meet the demands of the game which the keeper is about to face.

Team finishing – 7 minutes

Finally, the goalkeepers join the team’s finishing activity to finish their warm-up. 

As this is potentially a very physically demanding aspect of the warm-up for the goalkeepers, the first-team keeper goes in goal first and steps out when they are happy with the work they have done. 

It is important to manage the keepers’ fatigue before a game and ensure they do not perform too many explosive actions in quick succession as there is minimal, if any, rest between shots.

Summary

The sole purpose of the warm-up is to prepare goalkeepers physically, technically, tactically and mentally to perform as well as possible in the upcoming match. 

There are numerous ways to achieve that outcome, with planning and listening to your goalkeeper vital elements to getting there.