The Secret: How to Become a Professional Soccer Player in 2024

Becoming a professional soccer player is a dream that many footballers share from the youth to the adult amateur level. Following your dreams to play soccer at the professional level can be one of the most fulfilling things you can do, however it is a long, difficult journey, with no guarantee of success.

The reality of professional soccer is that only about 0.1% of players make it pro and even a smaller percentage play at the highest level that we see on TV including the UEFA Champions League and the World Cup. However, the problem with this statistic is that this includes all footballers as a whole.

The problem with including all footballers in this equation is that from all the millions of registered footballers from grassroots to amateur level how many of these players are training consistently? How many are training the right things? how many are eating the right foods daily? Prioritizing recovery? Improving biomechanics and athleticism? improving mitochondrial function? studying and analyzing individual and team footage?

Now if you take al those factors into account and focus only on the players doing these things, how many of them reach the professional level? A smaller percentage of players are actually prioritizing all of the things I mentioned, but a lot more players that do prioritize these things will make it to higher levels.

I have not played soccer professionally and the highest levels I have played on the U.S soccer pyramid include amateur 4th division, however I am an aspiring footballer who has spent so much time training and studying what it really takes to become a professional player and, what all the top players have in common.

I now want to share this valuable information with players to teach them what they need to focus on improving, and what they don’t need to waste their time on, f they want to improve their chances of becoming a professional footballer.

how to become a professional soccer player

Develop a Real Passion For the Game

The first thing and one of the most important parts of becoming a professional soccer player is to develop a real passion for the game and set very clear goals. It is also very important to ask yourself if you are on this journey for the right reasons?

This means do you want to achieve this dream because you love it or do you just want the lifestyle that comes with being a professional athlete? By asking these questions, you will also identify your “why” which is “why do you want to achieve your dream of playing professional soccer?”

Your “why” can be because of your love for the game, it could be because you want to do it for yourself and your family, it could be to prove the doubters wrong, a combination of any of these, or something else. Whatever this “why” is, you have to use it daily to help you stay focused and stay motivated in achieving your goals.

Treat It like a Job, not a Hobby

If you want to increase your chances of playing soccer professionally then it is very important to treat it like a job, not a hobby. This means you have to carry yourself like a true professional on and off the field from the minute you wake up to the minute you fall asleep and even if you are not at the professional level yet- in other words “fake it until you make it.”

If you are an amateur or youth soccer player looking to play at the next level, then you should already be living like a professional and taking care of every aspect of your life that impacts health and performance day in and day out. Watch this video to get a better understanding of what the difference between a job and a hobby are.

Also as you work to get this job it is very important to have funds and money, to get access to elite training, training gear equipment, transportation, rent, food, and more.

Learn About the Soccer Industry

The following videos are some of the best videos to learn more about the truth of the soccer industry. Some of the key points to remember are:

Soccer is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, entertainment industry in the world and there is a lot of money involved with this industry at every level.
This means there will be politics, there will be favoritism, it may feel unfair at times because it is a game of opinions.
Focus on what you can control and don’t focus on the opinions of others.

The point is to keep going, no matter what opinions are thrown your way and to learn from the opinions of people that matter, such as coaches, and to ignore opinions that don’t matter, such as from people simply trying to make you feel down.

Understand the Game

If you want to reach a high level it should be no surprise that you have to really understand the game including:

The following tips are things you can start doing today to improve your knowledge and understanding of the game

Play the game a lot
Record your soccer games with a camera
- Analyze what you do well and what you need to work on
Learn from professional players, coaches, and teams
- Read books
- Listen to soccer podcasts and interviews
- Watch soccer documentaries, movies, TV shows, and even some anime
Talk and network with other players, coaches, mentors, and share experiences.

Develop your Natural Talent – Talent vs Hard Work

Becoming a professional soccer player is one of hardest things in the world due to all of the competition and you must develop enough talent to get noticed by a professional club or scout because just working hard is not enough, like it is with other professions.

For example, people who want to become doctors, lawyers, or accountants will more than likely be able to reach their goals by working hard, studying, memorizing concepts, passing exams, paying fees, even retaking exams, repaying fees, and all that stuff. Even if these people are not really that talented, they can gain all the skills needed for their aspiring job through years, even decades, of hard work and training, or in this case studying.

However, in professional soccer and all pro sports in general, just because you work hard and believe you deserve to make it doesn’t really mean anything because the only way you will get signed as a professional player is if you are talented enough to play at that level and if a team is interested in your services. Every player develops their talent to play at a high level at different rates, some when they are 17, like Lamine Yamal, and some when they are 25, like Jamie Vardy. This is why you need to learn how to train the right things.

Aspiring players have to understand that talent can be built, but it’s not as simple as working hard and becoming talented, it’s more about working hard and smart at the same time. Talent is ultimately a combination of your athleticism, understanding of the game, technical proficiency in soccer skills, decision making, and how well you are able to remain calm and perform with confidence during high pressure situations.

A lot of people say that hard work is more important than talent, but the truth is talent is more important and training hard is the minimum that every player should be doing. Think about it, everyone and anyone can train hard, but not everyone develops enough talent to go pro. Why is that?

What Makes You Stand Out?

As an aspiring player, you have to find out what is it that separates you from other players. Soccer is about finding your talent, your unique set of traits and skills based on your physical and mental attributes, and fostering that talent. For example, Messi is known for his dribbling, Haaland is known for his finishing, Xavi is known for his vision, Kante is known for his work rate, and so on.

Becoming a better soccer player and increasing your chances of playing pro soccer is relatively simple, but that does not mean it will be easy. To become a better soccer player you have to train the right things on and off the field, every single day and consistently.

This is a list of the most important things to focus on improving if you want to improve your talent and increase your chances of playing professional soccer.

Train with a team consistently (at least 2-3 times a week)
- Join the best local team or academy in your area.
- Every season try to get into a better team
Play a lot of small sided games and variations of the game such as
Develop your unique talent based on your physical and mental traits
Develop elite athleticism by improving your fascia system and breathing mechanics
Develop an elite Mindset
- Do you want to become a professional player? this is the mindset you need to have
Optimizing your sleep, nutrition, hydration, and supplementation daily
Use natural recovery techniques
Improve Mitochondrial Function
Limit EMF exposure
Embrace nature
Stay injury-free

Network and Create Your Own Opportunities

Sometimes making it as a professional soccer player is not only about how good you are as a player but also about who you know. The more people you know, the more chances you have of finding a team, coach, or scout, looking for players.

Becoming a professional player requires making sacrifices and this is something every player knows they have to do. This means sacrificing activities and investments that are not going to get you closer to your goal and instead focus on the things that will get you closer to your dreams.

These are some of the best ways to network as a footballer:

Be talented enough to get scouted by a team
Join a club or academy that trains consistently
Attend combines, tryouts, training camps, seminars, etc.
Play in pick-up games
Join LinkedIn or similar apps to find more people
Join a private football community of like-minded individuals who have the same goals and aspirations

Part of making sacrifices means going out of your comfort zone to make a name for yourself and make your own opportunities because the perfect opportunity does not exist. If you are not getting any opportunities where you are right now to become a professional player then go out there and find them or create them yourself.

One way to help you create opportunities for yourself is by having a well-crafted highlight video and a detailed football CV. Your highlight video should include your best skills, plays, and contributions while your football CV should list personal details, contact info, physical stats, position, experience, achievements, and references. Whenever you reach out to clubs, attach both your CV and highlight video, as coaches are less likely to respond without them.

Pathways for How to Become a Professional Soccer Player

As an aspiring player, there are multiple pathways to take that can help you get closer to your goal of playing professionally. These pathways are going to depend on various factors such as your location, your age, playing experience, and more.

Be Talented enough to get Scouted by a Team

If a player is part of the small percentage of players talented to play professionally they will get scouted, either to a team’s academy or professional team. This sounds so simple but the easiest way to become a professional player is to be good enough and get seen by big teams.

Youth Academies:

Many professional clubs around the world have soccer academies for young players and to learn more about the professional teams in your area it is best to spend some time doing research. Joining one of these elite soccer academies can provide excellent coaching and a lot of them have a direct route to professional contracts.

For example, in U.S soccer if you join an MLS soccer academy and you are talented enough you may be invited to train with the professional first team and eventually they may offer a contract. Even if you don’t get a professional contract as an academy player, the experience of being in an academy can set you up for a successful college soccer career, which can lead to other opportunities in the future.

College Soccer:

In the United States, if you play college soccer that can serve as a stepping stone to the professional game. Playing for a college soccer team can help you gain exposure and improve your skills, leading to opportunities in Major League Soccer (MLS) or other leagues. Although college soccer may be a great way to reach the professional level in the United States, that is not the case in most other countries who don’t value college soccer.

Lower-League Clubs:

Sometimes, starting at a lower-league club can be a more realistic option. Playing regularly and standing out in lower leagues can attract the attention of scouts from higher-level teams. The United States does not have promotion and relegation, but moving to another country that does have a promotion and relegation system can allow players to play on lower-level professional teams and get the opportunity to be promoted to the next level of soccer in that country.

Overseas Opportunities:

As mentioned previously, consider exploring opportunities in countries with strong soccer traditions if you’re not getting the attention you deserve in your home country. Some players have found success by playing abroad and sometimes the best thing you can do is move to a country where soccer is the number one sport.

Combines, showcases, summer camps, and developmental programs:

Attending combines, showcases, summer camps, and developmental programs can put you in front of scouts and coaches actively looking for talent. Make the most of these opportunities to demonstrate your skills and learn from each experience. Watch this video to learn more about what goals you should have when attending a combine.

Summarize

To summarize, becoming a professional footballer is not about the destination, but about the journey. There is a very small percentage of players that make it to the professional level and with the right training on and off the field players can increase their chances of living out this dream.

Remember everyone’s journey is different so no matter where you are in your journey if this is a goal you really want you have to chase it with everything you have, mentally, physically, financially, and spiritually. Also do not forget that working smart is more important than mindlessly working hard and always focus on what you can control, which are your habits, lifestyle, and training.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best soccer training program?

Here at the Art of Football we have a high-level soccer training program that will teach you how to train on your own as a footballer with our best soccer drills, how to improve athleticism through fascia training, how to improve every aspect of your life that impacts performance, and much more.

If you are interested in our private training contact me and mention this blog post or fill out the form on our private training page.

How to go pro in soccer without college in the United States?

To go pro without college join local leagues or academies. You may have to move countries to create more opportunities for yourself if you really want them. College soccer is only a thing in the United States and most other countries don’t have, or don’t really care, about college soccer because they have a lot more professional clubs.

How much money do professional soccer players make?

How much money professional soccer players vary on a lot of things such as the country they play in, what level, league, playing experience, and other factors. Premier league players are among the highest paid athletes in all of sports, but this makes up only about %0.1 of all players. Check out this blog to learn more about how much soccer players make.

Tips for How to Become a Professional Soccer Player in 2024