Abstract
The purpose of the present research is studying the effects of warm-up with two different sizes of balls on passing skills. Loughborough Soccer Passing Test (LSPT) was conducted on 28 non-elite football players, who participated in the present research for 10 training days. LSPT is a passing skill protocol established on completing 16 passes successfully in the shortest period of time possible (Ali et al., 2007). After 5 days implementation of LSPT, the participants were divided into 2 equal groups of 14, as experiment and control groups. During the second 5-day test period, control group participants warmed up with ball number 5, than took LSPT with the same ball. On the other hand, experiment group warmed up with ball number 4, and took LSPT with ball number 5. Obtained data were analysed with independent samples t-test, and accordingly experiment group was more successful than control group in LSPT (p< .01). Consequently, passing skills of football players who warmed up with ball number 4 were affected positively. The present research, which aimed at increasing match performance, predicted that passing skills were affected positively during the match among football players who warmed up with smaller size balls before the match. Key words: Soccer, passing, warm up, ball, LSPT.  
Highlights
Passing in soccer, basically involves giving the ball to a teammate (Bate, 1996)
Obtained data were analysed with independent samples t-test, and experiment group was more successful than control group in Loughborough Soccer Passing Test (LSPT) (p< .01)
Warm-up exercise done with ball number 4 affected passing skills of football players positively
Summary
Basically involves giving the ball to a teammate (Bate, 1996). In other words, passing is to throw the ball from one of the players to their teammate (FACR, 1997). In the game of soccer, teams manipulate space and time in order to score and prevent goals. Understanding how these two concepts govern play is essential to a proper understanding of the game (LA84 foundation, 2007). When the player has the chance of passing, the other players must have position where the best place is to take pass (Coerver and Galustian, 1995). It is what keeps the game pace going and without it; you are not likely to win your team a goal (LA84 foundation, 2007). For taking the good pass, soccer players must have the best position in the soccer field (Howe and Waiters, 1993; Katis and Kellis, 2009)
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