Why 4v4 works: the Manchester United U9 pilot explained

What the pilot tested

In the early 2000s, Manchester United's academy ran a pilot for its Under 9s. Instead of 8v8 matches, the boys played 4v4 on small pitches. Rick Fenoglio, then at Manchester Metropolitan University, filmed and analysed the games and published the results in the FA's coaching journal Insight as "The Manchester United 4 v 4 pilot scheme for U-9's, part two: the analysis".

The question was simple: if you take the same children and shrink the game, what happens to the football?

What it found

Compared with 8v8, the 4v4 games produced far more of everything coaches want young players to do. The figures most often quoted from the analysis are roughly:

• 135% more passes
• 260% more shots at goal
• 500% more goals
• 225% more 1v1 duels
• 280% more dribbling skills attempted

Secondary sources report the numbers slightly differently, so treat them as orders of magnitude rather than exact values. The direction is not in doubt: with fewer players, each child is involved in the game far more often.

There is one limit worth knowing. The study counted actions. It did not measure whether the decisions were good ones. More touches is the starting point for learning, not proof of it.

Why it works

In an 8v8, the ball is with one player at a time and the other fifteen are waiting. Strong, early-developing children dominate, and quieter ones learn to hide. In a 4v4:

• Every child touches the ball. You cannot hide in a team of four.
• Every child defends and attacks. Positions matter less than reading the game.
• Decisions come constantly. Pass, dribble or shoot happens every few seconds, not every few minutes.
• Goals and saves are frequent. Children stay motivated because something happens all the time.

How it shaped youth football in England

The pilot became one of the most cited arguments for smaller formats in children's football. England's youth game has moved steadily in that direction. From the 2026/27 season, England Football's FutureFit changes start Under 7s at 3v3, with 5v5 for Under 8–9s and 7v7 for Under 10–11s. We explain the formats and ball sizes in our guide to what age kids can start football.

What it means for your child

When you choose a club or a training programme, look at how much of each session is small games and how often your child actually has the ball. A good session for an 8-year-old has plenty of 2v2, 3v3 and 4v4, short games and quick resets. Long queues, laps and big matches where the same two children score every goal are a warning sign.

At home, the lesson is the same. A 1v1 or 2v2 in the garden gives a child more touches in ten minutes than a whole Saturday match in a big format.

How we use it in our sessions

In our Minis (4–7) and Juniors (8–12) groups at Goals Tolworth, most of each session is small-sided games: 1v1 to 4v4, with the pitch size and rules adjusted to the age group. For more on how coaches design these games, read Diogo Coutinho on small-sided games.

Key takeaways

• Manchester United's U9 pilot compared 4v4 with 8v8 for the same players.
• 4v4 produced several times more passes, shots, goals, duels and dribbles.
• The study counted actions, not decision quality, but more touches is where learning starts.
• England's youth formats now start at 3v3 for the same reason.

Source: R. Fenoglio, "The Manchester United 4 v 4 pilot scheme for U-9's, part two: the analysis", Insight: The FA Coaches Association Journal (2003). This article is our coaches' summary, not a reproduction of the original.

Further reading: football training for kids.