Set Piece Heading: How to Score and Defend the Most Predictable Situations in Soccer

Roughly a third of goals in professional soccer originate from set pieces. At youth and amateur level, the share is even higher — because teams do not have the same organisational discipline under pressure.

Heading is central to almost every attacking and defensive set piece outcome. Here is how to use it on both sides.

Attacking set pieces

Near-post runs

The near-post flick is the highest-leverage move in the attacking set piece playbook. If a runner gets a clean contact at the near post, the ball arrives at the back post or penalty spot moving at pace and at a difficult angle for the goalkeeper.

How to run it: Start on the edge of the six-yard box, wide. As the delivery leaves the taker''s foot, make a sharp diagonal run to the near post. Jump before the defender can set — timing is more important than height. Contact the far side of the ball with a glancing header, redirecting it across goal.

What goes wrong: Most players wait too long and arrive at the same time as the ball. The run has to start before the ball is in the air.

Back-post attack

A delayed runner from outside the box attacks the back post while the defensive line''s attention is on the near-post zone.

How to run it: Hold your run until the defending side has committed to the near-post delivery. Then attack from the edge of the six-yard box toward the back post. Arrive on the move with the ball — this is a power header downward, not a flick.

What goes wrong: Starting too early — the run gets tracked. Starting too late — the ball has dropped.

The knock-down

A central player jumps to deliberately head the ball down into space behind them. A runner from deep arrives to finish the second contact.

How to run it: The first header aims for the penalty spot or the edge of the six-yard box. The second runner attacks from outside the box — arriving at the ball in space rather than in traffic.

What goes wrong: The knock-down goes too far — over the penalty area — and the runner has to shoot from outside. Practice the distance, not just the technique.

Defending set pieces

Zonal marking at corners

Zone-based defence requires each player to own a specific area of the box and attack any ball that enters it, rather than following a runner.

Advantages: No opponent can drag you out of position. Every delivery is someone''s responsibility. Attackers have to come to you.

The assignments: Back post: tallest central defender. Six-yard box centre: second central defender. Near post: fullback or midfielder who attacks early. Front of box: midfielder who attacks second balls.

What goes wrong: Players hold their zones passively and wait for the ball rather than attacking it. Zonal marking demands that each player attacks their zone — not just stands in it.

Blocking and screening

On free kicks from wide, a screen in front of the near-post defender prevents attackers from getting a run at the near post. This is not a defensive header situation — it is body positioning that removes the near-post delivery as an option.

How to do it: One tall player stands at the near post facing outward, arms in at the sides. They do not jump — they block the near-post run. A second player covers the post itself.

Dealing with the second ball

The most consistent way to concede from set pieces is to win the first ball and then lose the second. Every player without a defensive assignment on the first contact should be tracking second-ball positions before the delivery arrives.

The rule: After the initial contact, the three nearest players to the clearance sprint to it. Everyone else re-establishes the defensive line. Do not admire the clearance.

For full session plans that include set-piece heading blocks, see our coaching resources. For the individual technique behind everything covered here, see how to head a soccer ball.