The Guide To Get Scouted In Soccer
HOW TO GET SCOUTED IN FOOTBALL
Learn the 5 things you have to do to get scouted in football.
With advice from real soccer scouts.
How do I get scouted?
Did you ever wonder, why are people getting scouted in football and not me? You’re not alone.
Catching the attention and impressing a soccer scout is only the beginning.
In only 5 minutes, you’re finally going to learn:
- How to get scouted in football?
- What are soccer scouts looking for in for position?
- At what age can I get scouted?
WHAT ARE FOOTBALL SCOUTS?
Football scouts are the connection between unsigned soccer players and clubs. Their job is to seek players with talent which can be a good fit for a specific club.
There are three types of scouts:
- Scouts for clubs. This is the most common type of scout. They know the ins and outs of the club they work for so they can find the perfect type of player that can benefit the club and the squad.
- International scouts. These scouts work for the international squads and their job is to recruit already signed talent for their specific country. Once you shine in your new club these scouts can be the big step for you to play for your international country squad. Could you imagine playing for your country?
- Scouts for agencies. Sometimes they are the agents themselves and other times they work for agencies. Their job is to recruit talent so they can send them to the web of clubs they might have contact with.
In Alicante Football Academy, we speak with soccer scouts weekly to know what they are looking for in players so we can find a club fast for our academy talents. Want to know how we do this? Click the button below for more info.
WHAT ARE SOCCER SCOUTS LOOKING FOR?
In simple words, soccer scouts are looking for players that can benefit a specific team or club they work for. They are the building bricks that form a successful starting 11 and team because they have to find the right mix of players to reach success.
According to Alicante Football Academy scout Julio Bonmati, football scouts are looking at 5 main things:
“The way you deal with the ball is a huge factor in soccer”
Alicante Football Academy scout
technique
Technique is an overall attribute in football that includes your touch and finesse, your passing and shooting abilities, your dribbling and one on one skills and more.
If you can stand out from the rest and deal with the ball in a unique way you can stand out straight away. At the end of the day, football is all about the ball, and being able to manipulate it correctly is the biggest factor to stand. So, keep up the technique training!
Physical attributes
Football has always been a physical sport but, modern soccer has taken this factor to the next level.
If you can show from a young age that you are fit and you have specific physical attributes that are better than the rest you will separate yourself from the rest in the football games and in the eyes of the scouts. Explosive speed is one of the most important physical attributes and you should do football training drills focused on speed.
“Nowadays, footballers are physical machines, strength wise and cardio wise”
La Nucia scout
“Learning how the game works should be your priority to get scouted in football”
Norwegian scout
Tactical awareness
Sometimes this can be overseen but many would say that scouts are paying specific attention to this because it is the attribute that can take the longest for you to learn.
You always have to be aware where the soccer goal is in th field so you can make the right decision to improve the chances of your team scoring!
They are looking at the long term future of the club and the team, so they need to make sure that you are good enough now to make the cut but also, improve and be good enough in the future. If you’re not sure where to be in the field, when and where to run in a specific space and other tactical moves, you should ask your coach or check videos online to learn. Technique is one of the most important factors to become a pro footballer.
Competitiveness and hunger
Is very easy to spot a kid that would do anything to become a professional soccer player compared to a kid that simply plays and would like to become Pro.
Things like character, effort, presence, abilities to overcome bad situations, voice and more, can be seen from the outside by a scout. We know you want to sign with a Pro club, so show it!
“You have to want it, you have to show that the fire to become a footballer is within you“
Alicante Football Academy head coach
“A good impression can go a thousand miles!”
Overall behaviour
This is like everything in life, football is a job, and you should always behave yourself and specially in a job environment.
You have to make it easy for your teammates, coaches, scouts and agents to interact and deal with you.
How to get scouted in soccer
To get scouted in soccer you have to impress the football scout with your abilities and performance in the field and be in the right place at the right time to be seen. Soccer scouts look for technique, tactical awareness, physical attributes, competitiveness and good behaviour.
Having explained what scouts are looking for, is only a matter of stitching together the info for you to have a clear roadmap to know what you can do to get scouted in soccer:
How do I make a football scout come and watch me play?
Football scouts would normally come to game days or training sessions to see how you train with your football team, so what you have to do is find a club where you can play and get game time. Only then you will be able to showcase your abilities and show the soccer scouts what you’re all about, always keeping in mind what they’re looking for.
Where do football scouts look for players? It’s a matter of being in the right place at the right time.
You can also attend open football academy trials where you will have a chance to showcase your talents in front of different scouts.
The best and fastest way to get scouted in football is to join a specialised academy that looks for clubs for you and brings scouts to see you play. This is what we do in Alicante Football Academy with real life success stories.
How do I have to play to impress and get scouted in soccer?
In a nutshell, you have to perform well and be one of the best players on the field on the day. To do this you have to:
- Know where to be on the field and know where you are expected to run depending on your position. Also, show that you can be smart and adapt tactical wise to the situation of the game. To do this listen to your coach and ask him any questions you might have. Most of the time, if you listen to your coaches tactics and what he expects from you you will be ticking the tactical box already.
- When the ball comes to you, do something with it that can benefit your team and the score. Knowing what to do and making right decisions shows that you are tactically and technically ready. Performing that decision in a successful way is the second part, whether it’s a pass, a shot or a cross, making small positive actions will make you have an overall great performance.
- If you can overcome any kind of physical challenge in the game you will show that your body and physical abilities are up to the standard. Beating your player on speed, winning a strong challenge, winning a high ball header, exploding fast and getting first to the ball, all these are examples of situations where you can show the football scout you are ready to make the next step.
- Overcoming any mental obstacle will show you have character and you can perform regardless of the situation. Whether it’s nerves, a soccer goal conceded, a heated game, or simple when everything is going wrong. Keeping a cool head and your intentions clear on the goal of winning and performing is what you have to do to tick the mental and character box in the soccer scouts eyes.
What do football scouts look for in a goalkeeper?
Goalkeeper
Football scouts looking for a keeper are looking for correct positioning, great reflexes, on the ball technique and smart distribution. All these qualities can be the difference between for you to get scouted by a football team.
Being a goalkeeper is an interesting topic regarding getting scouted because many people get the wrong perfection that goalkeepers can’t be scouted or that is harder. This isn’t true at all.
Actually, goalkeepers have it easier to get scouted due to two main reasons:
Football clubs are always looking to sign goalkeepers because there aren’t many of them and it’s hard to find a great goalkeeper.
We all know that it’s hard to catch the scouts attention, however, if a soccer scout is looking for a goalkeeper, you know that they are straight away focused on you as there’s only you and.. The opponent keeper. All eyes on you then!
If a football scout is specifically looking to find a goalkeeper they will be looking at:
Correct positioning. Seeing if you are in a correct position to make it as hard as possible for the opponent to score is a must as a keeper.
Reflexes. How fast to react to actions and getting there first will avoid many goals and dangerous situations.
On the ball technique. In modern football, a keeper is just another field player and teams that have a technically gifted keeper have a huge advantage when they have possession of the ball.
Distribution. How you distribute the ball with your hands and feet can actually lead to scoring opportunities and completely break the opponent’s structure when they are trying to defend you.
What do football scouts look for in a defender?
Defender
Football scouts looking for defenders are looking for great 1 on 1 defense, tactical awareness and correct ball distribution.
Being a defender is another of those positions that have changed completely on the scout’s eyes in modern football. What they looked for in a defender before has changed completely and, of you’re smart, you can play to your advantages and show the soccer scouts you are a modern day defender.
When scouts look for defenders they are mainly looking at these characteristics:
1 on 1 defense. Modern football is becoming more and more offensive (link), and due to this, there are more 1 on 1 situations where attackers are running at defenders. If you can come out victorious in these challenges and win the ball from the attacker you have already won a part of the scout’s interest because this is very difficult to do and requires a lot of time to learn. Liverpool defender Van Dijk has won xx% of his 1 on 1’s this season. Wow!
Tactical awareness. This is a must. Most of the tactical movements and situations in football start from the defense because they can see the full field. If all the defenders are in sync and can push forward and influence the game when the team is attacking and push back and keep opponents off side when defending will show a high football IQ to the scout.
Distribution. Similar to goalkeepers, modern defenders have a huge influence on the attacking side of the game nowadays. Short breakthrough passes or long balls in the correct spaces can really impress anyone who is watching you.
What do football scouts look for in a midfierlder?
Midfielder
Football scouts looking for midfielders are looking for them to see the spaces and what’s around them, create chances and score and adapt to the situation of the game.
Midfielders are the heart of the game, a good and smart performance where you command the game and create dangerous situations can be a game changer in the scout’s eyes.
Soccer scouts could be looking at different types of midfielders for their club, however, these qualities are a must for all of them:
See the spaces. Whether you are attacking with a killer ball through, or defending with a great cover up, a midfielder should always be aware of their surroundings and especially where the spaces are. A midfielder that can do these things can be the key to winning a game, and sometimes, this is overlooked.
Create chances. Attackers attack and score, but, what if midfielders can do it too? You will have a tremendous advantage over the opponents in a soccer game! A goal of assist from a midfielder counts more to a scout and, as more scouts are looking to do things with data, being a midfielder with great numbers can make you stand out.
Adaptability. You might have been expecting another attribute, but this is massive. Games can change at any minute, and if a midfielder can adapt to this, you have shown the scout you are ready for every situation. Holding the ball when the team is tired, attacking when opponents are broken, tucking in when they are in control, are just a few examples of reading and adapting to the game.
What do scouts look for in an attacker or stricker?
Attacker
Attackers and football scouts have always had a special relationship. Is inevitable for the football scout’s eyes to turn to the players that are creating the chances and scoring goals, is the way football is.
I will give you the main obvious things scouts are looking for in a striker or attacker and two things that are always overlooked:
Score goals (Lots of them). The more the better, in this case, the quantity or way more important than the quality. Sometimes, football scouts will only go to see attackers that have scored a certain amount of goals that season. When a club needs goals and a scorer there isn’t a simpler job for a soccer scout, look for the attacker that scores the most goals. Facts.
Give good crosses. Very overlooked indeed. Whether you’re a winger attacker or a striker that has fallen to the wing, crosses can be a killer for well structured defenses, actually xx% of goals in football came from crosses in xxx. Sometimes a cross can be so good that people give credit to the person who didn’t rather than a scorer.
Explosivity. Whether you’re a big attacker looking to physically trouble defenders or a floating attacker looking to take advantage of spaces, if you can explode in the right moment and get away from the defender you basically have half of the job done. This one is very big in the scout’s eyes.
At what age do footballers get scouted?
You can get scouted in football from the ages of 7 until 22 and most of the players get scouted by football academies at 13.
There isn’t necessarily a specific age when you’re too old to get scouted, however, the oldest age for you to be scouted normally is the early twenties.
Football academies are normally looking to build their young squads and develop the players around the age of 11 to 13 because you can already start to see some characteristics and abilities in their players and know what you have to work on to develop them. Around the age of 16 to 18 is when academies make decisions on these players to whether keep them and develop them more or release them.
How do I get my child scouted at 7, 8 , 9 and 10 years old?
Younger ages
At these young ages, there aren’t many scouts looking for players, however if a scout does manage to see your child play they will be looking at how much better some specific abilities are compared to the rest.
PROBABILITY OF GETTING YOUR CHILD SCOUTED
How do I get scouted at 12, 13, 14 and 15 years old in soccer?
Young teenagers
This is the main age to get scouted. If you can be outstanding at some parts of the game and you show a desire and hunger to be a footballer in the field you are on your way to get scouted. Football scouts will already be looking at your performance and how well you have done in the game to get an idea of your abilities.
PROBABILITY OF GETTING SCOUTED IN THE EARLY TEENS
How do I get scouted at 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 years old in soccer?
Older teenagers
Around these ages, especially the 20’s, soccer scouts will be looking for players that are ready to make the step to be a footballer. They will be expecting you to be excellent in all departments and outstanding as certain parts of your game. You have to be ready to play for a professional team or academy, if you can’t see yourself performing against great oppositions you won’t be able to impress football scouts and you will have to continue working on your game.
PROBABILITY OF GETTING SCOUTED WHEN YOU'RE OLDER
How to get scouted FOR SOCCER In Europe
If you are from any part of the world and you want to get scouted to play football in Europe chances are you have to get scouted before you come.
This is complicated because the majority of scouts look for players in Europe, so you are is an disadvantageous situation, but there’s a chance.
The best way for you to get scouted in Europe when you don’t live there is to join a specialised academy that trains you to improve and brings scouts to see you. Yeah.. That’s us!
We also offer a soccer camp in Spain and Europe experience for player who can’t join us for a full season.
In Alicante Football Academy we prepare our players to get noticed and we bring scouts from Spain and Europe to see you play, as well as bringing you to teams straight away as a football trial!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO GET SCOUTED
Any tips before a game to get scouted?
You have to be always mentally prepared and play as if someone was always watching you. This way, you will always make sure you are performing on the field, whether there’s a scouts or there isn’t.
How can I know if there's a soccer scout in my game?
Honestly, is quite hard to know and you shouldn’t be focused of this because scouts want to see you perform in every situation, not only when you know there’s someone watching you. Although sometimes scouts where official clothing from the club they represent.
How do I get scouted in a football trial?
Football trials is basically you going to the scouts and not the opposite, we have a full guide about football trials.
How should I act when a scout approaches me?
You have to be yourself, you’ve already done the hard work if a soccer scout approaches you! Show desire and character to make sure you make a long lasting impression to him/her.
FOOTBALL ACADEMY GUIDES
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In this guide we explain all there is to know about about this and how we help you in the process in Alicante Football Academy.
Do you know what you have to do to get scouted?
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In this guide we explain how you can get scouted and how we help you in the process in Alicante Football Academy.
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