The 10’s decoy run works when the full-back steps and the centre-back is pinned
05 July 2026
Train the run when the winger pins the full-back, the striker occupies the centre-back, and the 10 starts blindside below the pocket. If no one follows, pass in behind. If the centre-back follows, play through the central gap. If a midfielder follows, drive through the lane he leaves.
FIFA’s Technical Study Group describes the run as an attacker starting deeper and running between the defending team’s widest defender and closest centre-back. In the first 96 games of the 2025 U-17 World Cup, 24 goals included that run in the sequence. 1
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