Rondos by Paco Seirul.lo (FC Barcelona) (Patreon)

Rondos, a distinct and influential football training exercise, were first introduced by Laureano Ruiz, a coach at our youth football academy in the mid-1970s. These exercises have since become a hallmark of our training philosophy. They are practiced with various nuances across different team categories, from youth to the first team, often serving purposes different from Ruiz's original intent. However, the modern practice of rondos was significantly shaped by Johan Cruyff, who reinvented them as precursors to the positional play games he utilized to simulate and enhance game-like conditions.

Cruyff's versions of rondos varied greatly, from five against two players to drills involving the entire team during preseason, typically conducted in the center circle of the pitch. The structure generally consists of a certain number of players, holding possession of the ball in a roughly square area, opposed by a smaller number trying to intercept. Play is predominantly one-touch, rarely allowing for two touches. Players in possession aim to utilize the entire space within the marked lines, playing along and often outside these lines, with the ball remaining inside the marked area. Defenders play inside the square, attempting to cut off the ball's path with each pass. These rondos, especially among professional players, are usually a warm-up activity in training sessions, with occasional coaching tips on playing them effectively.