Randal Kolo Muani breaks free from the defence. A clear run on goal. Only the goalkeeper stands in his way. One goal, and France are world champions. The entire extra time, every minute of training over the years, comes together in this single moment.
Emiliano Martinez sprints out, spreads his body wide, and narrows the angle. Kolo Muani takes a shot. The ball hits Martinez’s leg. No goal. Moments later, Argentina are crowned world champions on penalties.
This single scene is remembered as a reflex. It wasn’t. It was the result of the right decision, perfect timing and a goalkeeper who knew exactly what he was doing in that one-on-one.
With a long-range shot, the situation is set as soon as the ball leaves your foot. In a 1-on-1, it isn’t. The attacker only makes his decision whilst you’re already taking action. He reacts to what you do, and you react to what he does in response. It’s a real-time duel, not a static shot-blocking drill.
This means that if you train for 1-on-1 situations simply by ‘coming out quickly and blocking the ball away’, you’re missing the point of the actual skill. It’s about forcing the attacker to make a decision, not just reacting to his.
Every 1-on-1 duel can be divided into two phases.
The action phase. Here, the goalkeeper actively occupies and fills the space before the shot is even taken. Coming off his line, closing down the angle, timing his move. This is the phase that usually decides victory or defeat in the duel long before the ball leaves the attacker’s foot.
The reaction phase. Here, the body reacts solely to the ball itself: blocking technique, catching the ball whilst falling, leg or hand reaction. This is the part that ends up in the photos, but without the preparatory action phase, it often doesn’t even come into play.
Why this is important: If you only train the reaction, you’re training the result, not the cause. A goalkeeper with perfect blocking technique who comes out too late or at the wrong angle won’t even get into the position where that technique can be effective.
With Martinez, it happened in exactly this order: action first, in the form of a burst of speed and closing down the angle. Reaction afterwards, in the form of the blocking technique with the leg – low and wide – to cover the largest possible area.
A goalkeeper doesn’t need flawless technique just to show it off in training. He needs it so that, when it really matters, he can draw on it in a fraction of a second without having to think.
What this means for your training is that analytical technique training has its place, but only to the extent that is necessary. The majority of training time should be devoted to applying these skills in game-like situations, at real match pace and under real uncertainty, just as is required in a match.
Timing your run. Too early, and the attacker will chip the ball over you or round you. Too late, and you won’t reach the ball. The right moment is when the attacker no longer has the ball directly at his feet but hasn’t made his next touch yet.
Close down the angle, don’t just cover the space. Martinez didn’t simply run straight towards Kolo Muani. He positioned himself in such a way that one side appeared to be open, when in fact he was controlling it. The attacker should be led to believe they see a gap that isn’t really there.
Force the decision, don’t wait and see. A passive goalkeeper who merely makes his area smaller leaves the attacker with all options: a shot, a lob or a cross. A goalkeeper who actively picks up speed and plants a foot in the space takes one of these options away before the attacker even considers it.
Why it works: An attacker sprinting towards goal makes his final decision in a fraction of a second, usually based on what he saw last. A goalkeeper who takes the initiative rather than merely reacting helps to shape that final impression.
Not every one-on-one situation is defended in the same way. Two techniques crop up particularly often in 1-on-1 situations.
The ‘small cross’. When the ball is close to the attacker’s foot, the whole body moves towards the ball as a single unit. Keep your eyes on the ball; do not turn your upper body; quickly lower your knee towards the heel of your opposite foot. The heel of your supporting foot lifts slightly as you do so. This technique relies on being executed very quickly; it is used at distances of around one to one and a half metres from the ball.
The ball challenge. Here, the goalkeeper actively moves towards the ball rather than simply blocking the space, usually to deny the attacker their final touch before they can even shoot. It was precisely this variation that Martinez employed in the match: not waiting passively, but stepping into the situation himself and forcing the attacker to make a decision.
Why it works: The closer the ball is to the attacker, the less time you have to execute the technique. If you haven’t automated the right technique for the right distance, you’ll often choose the wrong one under pressure and lose the duel by a matter of millimetres.
Coming out too late. If you wait until the attacker is already taking a shot, you’ve already lost the challenge before you’ve even had a chance to make it.
Rushing out recklessly. Running at full speed without controlling the angle isn’t how you play a 1v1 – it’s a sprint into danger. The attacker simply has to play the ball past you.
Always the same solution. If you defend every 1-on-1 in the same way, you become predictable to good attackers. Varying between staying put, coming out early and playing the angle is essential.
No training at match speed. 1-on-1 drills at walking pace prepare you for nothing. In a match, the attacker comes at you at sprinting pace, not at a leisurely stroll.
Drill 1: The Kolo-Muani Drill
Set-up: A player chips or slots the ball behind the defence; an attacker sprints towards it. The goalkeeper must assess the situation from scratch, without knowing in advance the angle from which the attacker is approaching.
Procedure: The goalkeeper decides in real time whether to come off his line, at what moment, and in what body position to close down the angle.
Why it works: It is precisely this basic scenario – the ball behind the defence, a single attacker, no cover – that decides close matches like this final. Those who have experienced it often enough will make the decision more quickly when it really counts.
Drill 2: Creating a false gap
Set-up: Goalkeeper and attacker in a 1-on-1 situation against a smaller goal. The goalkeeper is tasked with deliberately choosing a position that makes one side appear more open than it actually is.
Procedure: If the attacker aims for the supposed gap, the goalkeeper must already be positioned exactly there.
Why it works: You’re practising active deception rather than passive waiting. That’s exactly what made the difference in the final: the attacker shot where the goalkeeper wanted to lure him.
Drill 3: Decision-making under time pressure
Set-up: The passer randomly alternates between a through ball, a lob and a one-two with a second attacker. The goalkeeper only realises at the last moment which situation is actually unfolding.
Procedure: The goalkeeper must decide whether to come off his line, stay put or cover against the second attacker, without knowing in advance which option will arise.
Why it works: In a real match, the initial situation is rarely straightforward. Players who only train for clear through balls will be overwhelmed as soon as a second attacker or a different passing option comes into play.
✅ Train the timing of your run-off specifically, not just your pace
✅ Use angle play as an active tool, not just for cover
✅ Deliberately create gaps that aren’t
really gaps ✅ Always carry out 1v1 drills at full sprinting pace, never at a walking pace
✅ Introduce variety: through balls, chip shots, one-twos, so that decisions are never made automatically
The scene involving Kolo Muani will forever be remembered as the moment when Martinez saved the World Cup title. But the real achievement wasn’t the reflexive touch on the ball. It lay in the decision made a fraction of a second earlier: when to come off his line, what angle to offer, how to direct the attacker.
That is precisely what can be trained. Anyone who practises one-on-one situations consciously and at real speed won’t have to improvise at the decisive moment. They will have already been through that scenario, albeit in training.
As a goalkeeper, when should I come off my line?
The right moment is just before the attacker makes his next touch, not afterwards. If you move in too early, he’ll still have time to dribble past you or chip the ball over you. If you’re too late, you’ll just be a spectator when he takes his shot.
Is it enough simply to come out quickly and boldly?
No. Speed without spatial awareness isn’t 1-on-1 play; it’s a reckless sprint. What matters is how you position your body on the pitch, not just how quickly you get there.
How do I practise creating a false gap?
This works best in controlled 1-on-1 drills, where you deliberately leave one side looking more open, but are already positioned there, ready to act. Over time, this deliberate decision becomes an automatic response.
What should I do if two attackers are coming at me at the same time?
Then the priority changes: you first need to recognise whether the player on the ball is going to shoot or pass across before you decide on your next move. This is exactly what you can practise specifically in training using different one-two variations.
How often should 1-on-1s feature in training?
At least once a week at full sprint speed and with varying passing patterns. If you only practise 1-on-1 occasionally and at a walking pace, you won’t be able to apply that training to the game.
Read more:
- Goalkeeping training reimagined: Why general training won’t make you better –
Improving your reactions – how to train like a pro –
Hand-eye coordination: The underrated skill that determines whether you save the shot or concede a goal
