How to Help Your Child Become a Professional Football Player?

If your child has shown a natural aptitude for football and has a passion for the sport, you may be wondering what the path to professional football may look like. Parents often feel a lot of pressure when it comes to guiding their children in the right direction and can sometimes feel overwhelmed.

Being talented is by no means a ticket to success so there is a lot of onus on parents to make the right decision. This article will hopefully give some more insight into the ins and outs of the professional track and help parents with their decisions.

4 Steps to Help Your Child Become a Professional Footballer in the UK

1. Do Your Research on the Path to Becoming a Professional

Knowledge is power, and that is certainly true when it comes to helping your child realise their ambitions. There is a lot of information out there to help inform you on how best to help your child’s football development.

From training and exercise to nutrition and rest there is no shortage of advice. Seek out as much reliable information as you can find. If your child has the desire to make it pro, do all you can to make yourself the expert in the subject and help nurture their talent.

Remember not to be pushy, though. Parents want what’s best for their kids and one day your child may lose interest in football. If that is ever the case, do your best to be supportive and accept it.

2. Get Your Child to a Soccer School or Summer Camp

Getting your child to a soccer school is a great way to encourage their passion and improve their ability in a structured setting.

From the ages of 4-12, it is beneficial to expose your child to as much football as possible. A soccer school will give them the platform to experience football in a different setting than they perhaps have in the past. The exposure to different football coaches and drills will create more well-rounded and versatile footballers.

Each coach will have a different approach and will guide your child in different ways. This can lead to an importance in varying aspects of their skillset. This element is invaluable to player development and can improve your child immeasurably. Soccer schools give children the opportunity to learn a lot about the sport, both practically and theoretically.

Make sure to do your research before picking the right soccer school. There are a lot of options offering lots of different things. If you need further guidance picking the right football academy to send your child to, you can find all the information you will need here.

3. Find the Right Balance Between Football Training and Education

As the old adage goes, ‘there are no guarantees in life’. This is especially true in a career in football. The unfortunate truth is no matter how good you are, no one is guaranteed to become a professional footballer. As such, football should never be the only focus.

As your child gets older and increases the intensity of their training, more of their time will naturally be dedicated to football. This shouldn’t mean there is any compromise in education, though.

As mentioned above, a career in football is never a given so there needs to be a solid Plan B in place. Schoolwork and education cannot be sacrificed so it is important to establish a good balance between your child’s activities.

If your child is at the stage where an academy offering a school programme is an option, make sure to consider it carefully and weigh up its benefits. A top-rate education is just as important as anything else when pursuing a career in professional football. 

4. Consider a High-Performance Academy, Potentially Abroad

If your child has been steadily progressing for years and is showing all the signs that a professional career may be for them, it could be time to consider a high-performance academy. These academies look to equip talented young players with all the skills they need to fulfil their potential. In essence, high-performance academies are boarding schools geared around creating professional footballers.

These academies have a strong emphasis on education, both in football terms and in general. There is also a focus on character development. Becoming a professional footballer is as much about attitude as it is about raw talent. Whether your child makes it as a professional or not, these academies are designed to help their development as people as well as footballers.

Conclusion

If your child has an interest in football why not consider bringing them along to a soccer school?

Samba Soccer Schools provides a friendly and educational environment for young players to learn football the Brazilian way. Our schools are a great starting point for kids with aspirations of one day becoming professional footballers!

FAQs – How to Become a Professional Soccer Player

How Can I Make My Son a Better Football Player?

There are a lot of things that can be done to make your child a better footballer but most of them start from within. If your child has a real desire to play football and improve, it is the biggest catalyst for their development.

If they are between the ages of 4 and 12, why not get them down to Samba Soccer Schools.

How Hard is it to Become a Professional Football Player?

Like anything else worth achieving, it is incredibly difficult. There are a lot of challenges and it can be a long and challenging process. The article above gives a lot of advice for parents on how best to help their child achieve those dreams.

How to Get My Kid Into a Football Academy in London?

Samba Soccer Schools is a great starting point for any child in and around London. More information on how to get your child involved can be found here.

Can My Child Become a Professional Football Player?

In a word – yes. Anyone can become a professional footballer with the right amount of talent, drive, desire, and a bit of luck. Follow some of the advice in the article above to further increase your child’s chances and set them on the right path.