To become a professional soccer player, you need to train in specialized institutions from a young age. Conventionally, it is difficult for parents or relatives to make correct score predictions regarding the possible success of a child. But in professional academies, coaches can do everything to make a child a real professional.

Employees of sports academies help players to get an education and develop their natural talents. In the future, they will be able to fully realize themselves in soccer and achieve certain successes in this game. Today, many academies are tied to certain soccer clubs. But not all children get into such institutions and the task of children’s coaches is to find that young talent, which can be developed and achieve good performance at the adult level.

Why clubs need to have their own sports academy

First of all, soccer academies are necessary for teams to reduce transfer costs. It is much cheaper to take a young and promising player, teach him tactics, and help him choose the right position on the pitch. As a result, the player becomes a professional soccer player, signs a contract with the club, and does not have to pay other teams for his transfer.

In addition, sports academies help to:

  • create a loyal fan base;
  • increase the recognition of the soccer brand;
  •  get more options for problem positions from young players;
  • increase the loyalty of young players to the soccer club.

Many clubs are actively recruiting young players across the country. But not all fans understand how this process takes place. A soccer academy has no less complex structure than a professional soccer club. Since fans only see the final result, it is right to break down their work in more detail.

How football academies find talent

For a team to achieve results, you need to be able to make correct score predictions on the right players from the school years. Children get into football in different ways. Some are brought to the academies by their parents and enrolled after the coaches can see their real potential. Others are found by scouts who attend various matches of small clubs or amateur teams. In any case, the child must have certain football skills.

If they have them, the player will be enrolled in a sports school and he will be able to pay more attention to the development of his skills. Also, psychologists, teachers, and coaches in different areas will actively work with them. In the aftermath, the players can turn out to be very good footballers.

For many clubs, the search for nuggets has become a great option and an opportunity to recoup all the costs of footballers after just 1-2 players who eventually became professional footballers. However, it is also important to realize that there is more than just football for children at a football school.

What is the daily routine of young football players

In sports schools, the life of pupils is quite different from that of a normal school. Of course, most of their activities are aimed at developing their football skills. However, for children, attending football training is a privilege. Therefore, academies apply to many of them the requirements of doing well in school and not getting bad grades.

Sports academies realize that most children will not eventually be able to become professional footballers. Therefore, they want children to develop in all directions. If a young footballer gets bad grades, he will be suspended from training. If a player does not close his school debts by the match, he will not be announced for the next game. This way the kids are motivated to learn.

As for football training, in academies, every free minute is spent on it. For example, in Belgium, children are kicking Kickmasters on their way to school and training. Their task is not just to kick the ball, but to count the number of kicks up to ten and back, but in different languages. In this way, they develop both as footballers and as individuals who know more than one language.

After school, the children are involved in training. They warm up and develop technique, kicks, and tactical moves. After that, they practice different combinations under the supervision of a coach.

When a player reaches the age of 15, they are taught about financial literacy and the legal aspects of the profession. Young footballers are told about contracts, salary levels, and other important issues. This allows them to decide whether they want to pursue football further or whether they want to try something else. Such communication helps them to realize their real value in the football world at first and not expect an offer from Real Madrid with million-dollar salaries.

What is the result of graduating professional footballers from the academy

This question is very important because it helps to build correct score predictions on the chances of a child getting a foothold in football. In most academies up to 10 graduates become professionals every year. However, only 3-4 remain in the system of the club from which they graduated. Most stay in lower leagues and cannot always play at a high level.

However, if a child is truly talented, over the years they will be able to prove themselves and achieve success in this profession. Many children refuse to develop in football at the initial stages. But if you get to a good coach, then you can overcome the initial difficulties and become, if not a world football star, then a good player.

Conclusion

Football academies are extremely important for the development of young talents. Children with a certain level of skills and capabilities get into them. Coaches independently select players and only then allow them to train.

In addition to intensive training, children also develop many skills and learn. It is impossible to play football at a high level and not understand the different cultures and rules of other countries. This helps players better understand their perspective of playing in different states.

A year before graduation, children are actively discussed with the legal aspects of their contracts (even if they do not stay at the club). This is necessary so that children do not build “air castles” and can realistically assess their prospects.

Football academies can pay off in a year if they manage to bring up 1-2 good players. Raising a world star will increase the parents’ contributions and help to develop the academy more actively. In addition, the better the academy performs, the more talented kids will enter it and the club can save a lot of money on future transfers.