I'm 17 right now and I'm going to be a Senior next year. I start on my varsity team that won states last season and it looks like we'll do it again. I know for a fact I'll be playing in college D-1 or D-3, but I don't know where. My situation is after college I plan to go to South America to join a team and at this point my mind is set, but i don't know where to start on my journey to South America other than play and study Spanish (which I've been studying for 7 years). Does anyone know the steps needed to play in South America?
i'm not sure. Maybe look around the internet for clubs and email them. I really don't know. Do you have any contacts down there or are you just going to show up and ask for a trial.
I think first of all you're going to need a plane ticket. Thats the quickest way to get there. You're also going to need somewhere to stay. I hear Boca Juniors hold trials on a Wednesday. If you give Riquelme as ring he'll let you know for certain. You're the best player i've never heard of so I'm sure you'll get signed. Look forward to seeing you at the next world cup.
I would check around to see what the non citizenship requirements are. Like to play in England you need an EU passport, I would see if you need something similar. I've you thought about going to other countries like Belgium or Norway, most clubs don't have any foreign restrictions for players outside the country. You could hire an agent after college if you feel your good enough.
You might want to look into this right away, because I'm not sure that four years of college soccer would prep you for a pro career in SA. Showing up as a promising 18 year old is one thing, but if you go down there at the age of 22 or so, whoever looks at you is most likely going to expect a level of development you might not accomplish in four years of NCAA soccer. Just my two cents.
redfutbol is probably right. However, I would do this if I were you... Once you get into a school, look into their study abroad program. I'm sure they will have connections with some schools in SA. Start contacting clubs, and find the country/area with the clubs that show interest in you. During your college off-season, study a semester abroad in this country...this will help you immagration wise, as awell as housing (dorm) ect for relatively good pricing. And worst comes to worst and no one gives your further trial, at least your still experiencing the culture and adding towards your education. Actually, if you find a good program through your school you can study abroad in a couple different countries in your time studying, the more you try the more likely you'll get. Look into something like that. But try to go young, because if you can get into a youth dev program or u18 or anything like that its easier to move up through the club. You have to remember that these clubs have had kids training with them all their lives...so if your showing up at 22, you better have something to show for it!
That sounds good as well. I would just go down there and try to find some clubs maybe in a lower divison to start out. I would contact clubs before you go and see if they will give you a look. Just because you go down there doesn't mean that they will give you a trial.
Ok, I'll be serious. You're never going to be a pro in South America. You're not good enough and never will be. If you're asking people how to go about becoming a pro on a messageboard then you're definately not good enough. However good you think you may be playing school football, if you were that good then people would know about you. You'd have scouts coming to watch you. If they don't it should tell you you're not good enough.
That's not necessarily true. You live in Bristol, it's completely different in the UK. In America, its not often you have scouts checking out youth at a school level...or not nearly as much as in the UK. Here, you really have to assert yourself, you need to get them to come to you not even necessarily through your play, but you need to really work to find the opportunities...you can't apply the way it works in the UK to the way it works here, two different things.
Have you also thought about trying out for some pdl teams (specific for college players and players under 23) and usl 2 teams? A guy who plays on my local pdl team in cinci is going for a trial in England.
He's going to train with a blue square premier league side Salisbury FC (one league below football league 2). Then if needed he will have trials at Hull City and Doncaster (hull is going to the prem and I think Doncaster is league one). He plays d3 college and pdl in the summer, hes a senior
I'm not sure I guess the pdl team has some connections or something or he hired an agent. His name is Adam Ross, I don't know a whole lot about him but I'll be on the look out.
honestly, I think south america is the last place to go to find a career for professional soccer they have many many players who will literally kill each other to join a pro league so they can feed their families a better place would be to go to germany, holland, france.....countries known for developing young players; contact some clubs and ask for trials, then go travel to those countries and see what you can do do this starting now, I'm sure you are training hard right now as well.....also remember to not get culture shock
I would agree that Europe is a better option, especially since the currency is better than the US dollar. In South America it's generally worse than the US dollar. There are hardly any non South americans in their leagues and a lot of attitude for outsiders. Why South America? I don't agree that if you haven't been spotted by the time you're 18 you're finished, especially in America . There are very few pro teams in America and top level colleges are as good as English League 2 teams. I would try and find counties you can get a working visa for. England is the easiest because there are so many professional clubs that play at a very low standard but they pay decent money. Even in the UK I know people who have went pro at the age of 25. Players develop at different ages. Good luck, work hard. When you aren't practicing, somebody else is and they might take your place!
do you know of countries in Europe that don't require work permits or have rules less strict compared to the UK? thanks for the advice as well, and D2 is an option I guess lol
Most scandanvian countries Norway, Denmark, Belgium, I think Austria. Sweden is one to look at as well. I read a good 90 minute soccer article about players in Scandanvia and one quote that stood out was "most of these countries are willing to take a chance on an unknown player". Charlie Davies is a good example, he left Boston College and immediatly went and signed for a team in Sweden,Hammarby IF.
damn, who pissed in your cheerios? like many have said, there's plenty of good unknown players in this country. a lot of the time, it's sheer luck or knowing someone that gets you any notice in soccer.