5 Signs You will Never be a Pro Footballer
Do you dream of playing on the pitch with thousands of fans cheering you on? That’s exactly what every young football enthusiast dreams of. The smell of grass and a thumping heart, with adrenaline rushing through the blood, when the ball comes towards you, is a sensation that football players fantasise about. But for many, it remains an unattainable fantasy.
According to credible sources, almost 97% of the elite academy players never make it to the Premier League. This number is alarmingly high. It signifies that a large number of academy players, despite undergoing rigorous training and structured coaching, will never be pro footballers.
In this blog, we will tell you the brutal truths of the hardest sport, football, that no one else would. We are going to reveal the top 5 signs why you will never be a professional footballer. Read till the end, and if any of them sounds familiar, then it’s time for self-realisation.
You Started Late
You will never be a pro footballer if you start late. Age is a significant factor when scouting talent. Footballers who started late have a lesser chance of getting selected in tier one football clubs. Investing in younger players can reap more extended benefits as compared to players who are above 20. According to a study by the Technical University of Munich, Germany, the majority of professional footballers entered the academy at the U17 level or below.
66.7% were 15 years or younger.
42.8% were 13 or younger.
25.7% were younger than 11 years of age and,
7 players out of the 36 were under 9 years.
You can never be a pro footballer if you didn’t train in an academy or football development organisation, such as AF Global, during school. AF Global partners with schools and colleges to provide training for students without disrupting their academic studies. Training a pro footballer is not just about talent; it is more of a system. You will never be a pro footballer if you,
started late and lacked a structured training regimen.
do not play in high-quality football competitions against other top players.
are unable to meet physical demands due to age restrictions.
There can be exceptions, but they are rare. One of the most fantastic examples of footballers who started late is Jamie Vardy. He played in tier two football competitions until the age of 27, after which he got his first chance in the Premier League. After that, the rest is history. So, if you are a late boomer, don’t quit; instead, change your professional pathway strategy and focus on semi-pro leagues, online presence and individual performance.
Lacking Natural Talent
“ I think Lionel Messi was born to play football, ”
Coaches cannot create a star player; he is born with exceptional innate skills. Innate talent refers to skills that players have from a young age. It is a collection of extraordinary physical attributes, superior technique, and an intuitive understanding of the game.
There has always been a debate between natural talent and hard work and dedication, but let’s be honest, to be among the top 1% of league players, you must have some extraordinary innate talent. It sets you apart from the rest of the crowd.
Having natural or innate talent does not mean that you don’t have to train or work hard; it simply means that nature has given you a head start over others. It is your chance to achieve with a little less effort than the others. A player who has natural talent but lacks humility cannot transform into a pro footballer.
Football is one of the hardest sports. It requires multiple natural physical attributes, such as strength, football speed, and endurance. If you are physically weak and do not possess these innate physical strengths, you can never become a professional player.
Lack Of Training and Lifestyle
You cannot become a tier one player if you don’t live like one. Professional football players are not only gifted, but they also train with a high level of intensity and discipline. Many aspiring players believe that simply showing up on the training field is enough, but in reality, it is training and discipline that set the best players apart from the good ones.
Every player trains hard, but very few train smart. Professional footballers don’t follow YouTube training drills. You must train under expert supervision and evidence-based coaching programs such as AF Global, which trains players according to international standards.
You cannot become a pro player if you are physically weak and do not train to get match fitness and high football speed. This game requires an exceptional understanding of the game position. According to a study, professional footballers run approximately 9 to 12 kilometres per match.
Players cannot become professional or Tier 1 players unless they engage in the following football stamina drills to achieve match fitness and football speed.
Agility ladder drills for footwork improvement.
Cone sprints for speed and acceleration.
Core stability exercises balance.
Elite players follow a disciplined lifestyle. They follow strict diet plans to focus on building muscle, recovery and fat loss. Diet is not only important for physical fitness, but it also plays a vital role in building stamina and strength. Here are some tips that you must follow to become a professional player.
Drink plenty of water to maintain hydration.
Sleep for 7 to 9 hours for a healthy mind and body.
Avoid junk food and follow a balanced diet that focuses more on protein intake.
Lack of Humility And Mental Strength
A professional player is equipped with mental toughness to withstand the pressures of football, rejection, and disappointment. A player who possesses talent, speed, agility, and even match fitness but lacks humility and mental strength may struggle to become a professional footballer.
Imagine playing in front of a vast crowd and missing a penalty shootout. Would you lose focus or feel embarrassed? Or will you bounce back stronger to put your best on the field? Footballers often face such immense pressure from coaches, fans and teammates.
You will never be a pro footballer if you don’t take criticism positively. Pro players face criticism with humility and are ready to learn. If you feel agitated, humiliated or angry on receiving harsh criticism of your mistakes, then you can never be a professional player.
“You either win or you learn — you never lose.”
If you do not possess psychological factors such as grit, optimism, resilience, and perseverance, becoming a professional footballer may turn out to be far more difficult than you anticipate.These attributes set elite players apart from average players.
Another very important factor that will keep you away from becoming a pro footballer is quick decision-making in soccer. If you lose focus or get confused during the chaotic motion of ball chasing and goals, then it might be your cue to change your career choice. A study showed that fast decision-making skills positively impact tactile behaviour and are not affected by acute physical fatigue.
You will not be a pro footballer if you lack coachability. Great players are ready to learn and adapt. Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modrić, and some other elite players reinvent their playing style with age.
Lack of Drive and Passion
If you think loving the game is enough passion, then you are wrong. Dedication and passion mean breathing and living the game even when no one is watching.
You cannot become a professional footballer if you need motivation to train and do not show up for training every single day. Elite footballers continually work on their training, recovery, nutrition, and improvement.
Most players began structured training between the ages of 6 and 9 and trained for over 10,000 hours before reaching the professional level. This is why you should start training with structured training organisations like AF Global.
You cannot become a professional football athlete if you wait for scouts to find you. It is essential to grab every opportunity, show up for every trial, every camp and every chance to learn. If you do not establish networking and connections within the fraternity, your chances of becoming a professional footballer become slimmer.
You might not end up as a top league player if you lack the drive to improve every day. For professional footballers, every detail matters and every opportunity counts.
If you are not consistent, you will never become a pro footballer. Elite players are consistent with their training, recovery and game development. You are trimming your chances of a professional pathway if you give up easily and do not consistently train and play good-quality football.
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Conclusion
Football is not only the hardest sport, but it is also the most-watched and played game across the globe. Almost every young kid aspires to become a pro footballer. But the reality of this game is very different. The 90-minute game is just the face of hundreds of hours of training, sweat, and blood.
By now, you must have understood your potential to reach the professional pathway for tier 1. Let’s summarise the takeaways of this blog.
You cannot become a professional football player if you start late. Although there are late boomers in football, they are infrequent. If you are in your late teens and not already training or competing in high-quality competitions, consider an alternative profession.
Natural talent and physical attributes are another imperative factor that distinguishes between good and the best players. Young players who are not blessed by nature with game intelligence, tactile awareness, coordination, balance, intuition, mental toughness, and focus are less likely to become a pro footballer.
You will never become a professional footballer if you are physically weak and do not develop your raw talent into an exceptional craft. Training doesn’t mean doing football stamina drills
from YouTube. It means a world-class, structured football training program, like the AF Global training program, to mould your skills into unbeatable talent.
A lack of humility and coachability can hinder your achievement of career goals. Great players have nerves of steel because they need to bear the immense football pressure. Making decisions in split seconds and bouncing back after failures is a treasure for team benefit, and you cannot be a pro player if you do not possess these skills.
A lack of drive and dedication will not enable you to become a professional football athlete. According to a study, high-scoring players have stronger passion as compared to players who scored less. Passion will help you navigate years of hard work, extensive training, and brutal rejections.
If you have any of the attributes mentioned above, it’s high time to either switch your career goals or change your training. It is recommended to join an international standard football development organisation, such as AF Global, which is led by a qualified team of coaches, mental health experts, and sports science professionals, to overcome these issues and work towards achievable goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
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You’re likely good at football if you consistently dominate games at your current level and still perform strongly when competing at higher levels. You demonstrate excellent fundamental skills, such as ball control, passing, and maintaining balance under pressure, and you show exceptional game intelligence and tactical awareness. You also learn quickly from mistakes and follow your coach’s instructions with focus and discipline.
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Here are some mistakes to avoid as a footballer.
Doing too much. You don’t have structured training or coaching, and you are following random football stamina drills, diets and routines from YouTube.
Neglecting nutrition, proper sleep and hydration.
Obsessing over results rather than the professional pathway.
Focusing on physical attributes and avoiding mental toughness training.
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It is very hard to become a professional footballer. Statistics indicate that only 0.05% of players make it to the tier 1 academies, 0.001% of them make it to Europe’s top 5 leagues, and only 0.036% make it to the Champions League.
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No, 35 as an age is not too old for football; however, it is way past the average retirement age for most professional male players. You can still play football for fun, fitness and competition. It is not possible to become a professional footballer at this age because football is a very demanding sport and it requires a highly fit and athletic physique.
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According to Premier League restrictions, a player must be above 15 years to be named in a matchday squad. They must be at least 16 years old to be offered a professional contract and 17 to sign it. The youngest Premier League player is Ethan Nwaneri, who debuted at 15 years 181 days, and the latest young debut player is Max Downman, who played at 15 years 253 days.
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Becoming a professional soccer player without an academy is difficult but not impossible. Here are some tips for you to train without an academy,
Join world-class football development organisation AF Global to get structured training, expert technical coaching, perfect showcase opportunities, and expert-led mental strength preparation.
Achieve excellent physical fitness.
Work on your raw innate skills and develop them to stand out from the crowd.
Be consistent and develop a hardcore, disciplined routine.
Focus on your lifestyle
Grow your networking and online presence.
Don’t miss any showcase opportunity, camp or trial.