Soccer is one of the most popular sports in Nigeria and the world. It is rated the most watched sport and the first participated sport ranging from professional level down to the local level down to the neighborhood.
This sport is loved and has made many children and youth aspire to play at the highest level. The challenge happens to be the how-to since most of the biggest soccer matches watched are played in foreign countries. Many aspiring players have the skills, talents, and desires but no idea where to put the right foot to excel on this front.
Becoming a professional soccer player isn’t easy, as it requires commitment, dedication, sacrifice, and financial support.
Becoming a professional soccer player starts with you. There are intrinsic factors to consider when aspiring to participate in big-league soccer.
Soccer has its up and down moments—times when you will feel like quitting and times when you will be at your game. The only thing that will keep you through this period is your determination. The need to develop your skills, discipline, performance, and character. All these come from keeping your desire intact and pushing through the obstacles.
Character development is essential in the world of soccer. No coach will love to use a player who defies team instructions, misses training, and continuously goes against match rules. Proper management of anger, depression, and sadness will keep you on the coach’s mind regularly, giving you a high chance to play every match. Keeping yourself under control when your team loses a game also goes a long way.
Early skills development will go a long way in becoming a professional. Being born with it doesn’t equal being a professional. It takes being deliberate to develop skills. The basic skills to perfect include touch, passing, shooting, crossing, handling, and tackling.
Depending on your position, your skill development training will focus more on some than others. But you must have a good foundation in the fundamentals. The more you develop, the better your chances. Know the position you can play best. It will help you know the skills to develop the most.
After much practice and training, it's important you show off what you can do. Developing skills and sitting at home will not make you noticed. Also, it’s not showing off to the wrong people but the right people that will promote your efforts.
You look out for scouts. Scouts are football professionals who look for players to play for the team they represent. They recruit those who impress them. For those rejected, they are not the only scouts that will come. It only means you should keep practicing and training.
The more practice, the better your chances of playing. You can also do video clips to show off your talents and release them on social media. It’s possible you get attention through such a medium. They are scouting zones in Nigeria such as Lagos, Ibadan, Delta, Kano, Port Harcourt, Jos, etc.
Not being picked at first shouldn’t discourage you. You should always be prepared for any match or exhibition you will be called upon. You need to be fit and be ready to make an appearance anytime.
Marcus Rashford, a Manchester United forward was called upon from the youth team to play for the first eleven in Manchester United. Due to his being ready always. He excelled in the first match and has remained on the team since then.
Also, keep your travelling documents ready always. Don’t wait until you are called before you start processing them. It may discourage the scouts or team looking to sign you. For you will present this document to the club that signs you outside Nigeria.
One of the means to become familiar with soccer is to learn about FIFA rules and guidelines. Know the football associations and organizations that govern the type of match you want to play.
Check out what the rules say for the leagues you want to play for or are opportune to play for.
What does the constitution of the country you aspire to go to say?
What are their bye-laws concerning non-indigenes or foreigners?
What kind of government system do they run?
All these things should be in mind, for you may be deported back to the country and prevented from entering the country again. Trivial offences in one country may be extremely serious crimes in another nation. Learning is a vital tool.
Learning from professionals can help you avoid mistakes they made in their careers, giving you an edge over others. Watching top professionals can greatly boost your confidence and skill development.
Check out what makes Messi, Ronaldo, and other top players who and what they are. What training regimes, diet plans, and discipline do they follow? Christiano Ronaldo always arrived at the training ground earlier than his teammates. He trains by himself before training with his teammates. All these disciplines can make you different and cause a result that makes scouts notice you easily.
Thinking of where to go to become a professional soccer player? Start by joining a youth football club or academy. Joining a football club is a very big advantage in moving your career upwards. Scouts search more for players to sign in to football academies or clubs in other places. Football clubs/academies will coach and mentor you in developing your skills. They will also call out for scouts who will sign you up for big leagues.
The Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) is a well-known league in Nigeria and Africa. They help in pushing young football stars forward. They also have a partnership with La Liga. Foreign clubs, including European clubs, usually send their agents or scouts to the NPFL to get talented young footballers. If you are good enough, you get chosen on the national scale and then on the international scale.
There are football academies that help you get more opportunities in European clubs.
Pepsi Football Academy (PFA): This famous academy owned by Pepsi is located In Lagos at Agege Stadium and has 14 centers in other cities.
Abuja Football College: It is owned by Gabriel Newton, a licensed FIFA instructor.
Papilo Football Academy: Kanu Nwankwo is the owner of Papilo Football Academy.
You need to have a marketing plan to promote yourself. Releasing videos is an aspect and sending them to links, websites, and emails, easily accessible by agents, scouts, or big clubs in Europe.
In marketing, there are good business and bad business. You need to know this when becoming a football professional. The ability to know a good contract from a bad one will go a long way.
Good contracts will make you see the benefit of all your hard work, and you will enjoy your stay throughout the contract. Bad contracts will make you look like you are in bondage. Your skills will not be appreciated, and you will end up on the bench where no one will see your worth.
Signing a contract as a young player can be very tempting. And you will feel pressured or obligated to sign it, whether it is a good or bad contract. Don’t sign a contract without a lawyer. Get one, as he will help you understand the contract better, so you don’t make a mistake.
The payment is based on the club signing you or the player is signed. At first, your pay will be low (not in all instances), but through persistence and determination, your increase in skills development and performance will put other big clubs' eyes on you.
Big clubs mean a great improvement in payment. Not all players will get a one-way trip to major clubs in Europe. Not everyone will begin at a young age like Mbappe, Rashford, or Messi. In reality, the average payment is 10,000 euros monthly and its equivalent in Europe. So before considering a contract, do well to consider the payment options.
Being good at soccer requires your attention to build it. Some players start out unnoticed, but towards the middle of their careers, they begin to blossom. Some blossom in the beginning and, after a few years, are nowhere to be found.
While they are those who blossom all through their career, knowing the right contract and putting your best foot forward in every game can make you achieve a lot. Looking at the number of people wanting to play professional soccer should not discourage you. Keep pushing. And the opportunity will come.
