You may have heard adults tell you not to try to become a professional football player because it's too hard. While it is true that the path to becoming a professional football player is hard, you will never know what's going to happen without training. Here is a quick insight on how to train to be a professional football player.

Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Selecting a Position

  1. 1
    You have to know what position you want to be. Each position requires a different amount of skill and strength. If you're unsure, below are some common things that you will want to know about popular positions.[1]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Understanding the Rules and Tactics

  1. 1
    Learn the rules. The rules of football are fairly simple. The only one that is difficult to grasp is the offside rule. Otherwise, the rules are very basic. Here's a quick list of them:[2]
  2. 2
    Watch a lot of games. If you have a channel like ESPN or Sky Sports on your television, take full advantage of it. Don't only watch your favourite team play, watch lower and higher leagues play too. This will allow you to notice what the better team did that the lower team didn't do and how it affected the game. For example, one team might have passed really well, leading to a lot of scoring opportunities, leading to a lot of goals. Try to incorporate these kind of tactics into your games. Make sure you take note of every position, but especially the one you hope to become proficient in.[3]
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Training

  1. 1
    Train daily. You will need to be very dedicated if you've set your sights on turning professional. This means keeping fit, eating the right foods and always getting enough sleep. You must train daily but be sure not to train too hard and tear a muscle as this can set you back far. When you feel your muscles starting to burn, do some stretches and take a break. Whatever position you play, you need to stretch your muscles, arms and legs a lot. Here are some stretches.[4]
  2. 2
    Run. Find a route in your local area. This could be a park that you can run through/around or just a few streets/blocks near your house. Where you go doesn't quite matter but be sure to run everyday and try to run faster and further each day. The key to football is small bursts of speed. To practice this, jog for a few meters and then sprint for the same amount of time. Go back to jogging and then sprinting, etc. Try not to stop.[5]
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Becoming Part of a Team

  1. 1
    Join a club. This will give you a sense of what being part of a team is like and how to play a real game. It will also give you a chance to interact with other footballers, coaches and teams. Sharing your tips to playing better or running faster never hurts, and someone might even share theirs with you. When you play in a club or team, your chances of getting noticed and scouted by a team are much higher.[6]
  2. 2
    Be fearless. In football you have to take risks, so go for it! You will make silly mistakes sometimes, you will get injured, but that's all part of the learning process. See you on the pitch...
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    How do I get into a real football team?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    You get scouted or if you're good enough you can have a tryout at a youth club. You must already be playing and practicing through your club or training group, in order to develop the skills needed and to be seen by the scouts.
  • Question
    Can I still get scouted or play professional football at age 17?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Yes of course you can.
  • Question
    How can an 11 year old get scouted?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    You can try to join a good, popular team and go to "soccer camps". Try training at least three times a week, and keep up your attendance on the team. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there and show your skills.
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Warnings

  • Don't show your anger if you don't make it the first time. Angry players are a big problem with coaches.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
  • The one thing all coaches hate is a cocky, overconfident player. Nobody on the football field is better than another player. It's called a team for a reason; you can't play by yourself. Do not by any means model yourself after somebody. You will not play.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
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About This Article

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 40 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 253,458 times.
1,173 votes - 87%
Co-authors: 40
Updated: December 21, 2019
Views: 253,458
Categories: Featured Articles | Soccer
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