Millions of people have played the video game Football Manager, where the role of the game is to be the coach and manager of a professional soccer team. Yes, it is fun to win trophies and have the best players. However, the best feeling is when you find a teenager that nobody has ever heard of for (almost) no fee and through the club’s academy make him a global superstar. While statistically impossible in the real soccer world, the game gives the player enough information for this to happen. Every team dreams of finding that diamond in the rough, that young talent who will lead them to glory. But how do you spot such a talent? I am here to guide you through the mystical world of talent spotting. So put on your detective hat and let’s uncover those budding soccer stars!

Who is the soccer scout at the grassroots level? The coach!

Oh, the coach, that wise and all-knowing creature on the sidelines of the soccer field. They may not have a magnifying glass or a pipe, but they certainly have the vision to spot young talent. These grassroots heroes dedicate their time to training the next generation of superstars, and they know a thing or two about identifying talent. So, if you want to find that young soccer prodigy, look no further than the coach!

The coach will need to know how to identify the talent and develop them, but who brings the talent in front of the coach in the first place?

Parents 

If there is one group of people that is simply superior to others when it comes to recruiting, it’s the parents. First of all, they are adults and they want to have their kids play with other kids that have a good influence on them. Secondly, they talk to other parents all the time and can tell them to join your team. Thirdly, they love taking soccer videos of their kids playing soccer and share them with everybody. While you analyze your own players, you might spot a great talent on the other team. Unlike coaches that cannot “poach” players, parents don’t have that limitation. 

Players

The players are a great option for recruiting, too. Your best players want to show off and if they are good, then other good players will want to play with them. Also, if other good players are already friends with your players, then they are more likely to join. However, if your players are frustrated with the team or are exploring other clubs, then the message sent is bad.

Coaches

Fellow coaches in your club or even other clubs can be a valuable resource. They know a player from the neighborhood, or their sibling plays on their team, or they’ve seen them in the park. Whatever it is, they can be quicker and more impartial when they spot young soccer talent. The experience they have and being in the soccer world already leads them to be natural recruiters for your team.

What defines a young soccer talent?

When it comes to spotting a young soccer talent, we must first understand what makes them stand out from the rest. I mean, if the player plays two years up and scores 7 goals in a game, it’s easy that we got the perfect striker talent. However, most of the players don’t even play in that position, yet they might have talent. There are three key factors to consider: technical soccer abilities, physical characteristics, and psychological traits. Depending on the age of the players, we can think of what can be taught and what is beyond our abilities as coaches. After all, if I had the best sprinting coaches in the world from birth, I would have run faster than I can. But let’s be real, I would have never made it to the Olympics. 

Technical soccer abilities

A true soccer talent possesses skills that make even Lionel Messi raise an eyebrow. They have the ability to dribble past defenders as if they were mere holograms, shoot with pinpoint accuracy, and pass the ball with grace and precision. If you spot a player who can pull off these jaw-dropping moves effortlessly, congratulations, my friend, you might have just found the next Messi!

But what if they cannot? At what point do we transition from “potential” to “no skill”?

“If you have no technical skill at 14, you can forget it, you will never be a football player”. 

— Arsene Wenger

When players come for tryouts with no technical skills at ages 8, 9, and even 10, I always talk to the parents. If they ask me what kind of shoes to buy, then I know that the player has zero experience and any skills are self-taught. That is good news! Because technique is the one thing that we can teach at U10 and younger. However, if the parents tell me that the player has played in 3 different clubs and they’ve had private lessons, then I know that there is a problem.

Physical characteristics

While soccer may not be a sport solely based on brute strength, physical attributes do play a significant role. A talented player will have the speed of a cheetah, the agility of a cat, and the stamina of a marathon runner. Keep an eye out for those players who seem to cover every blade of grass on the field, leaving their opponents in the dust. They might just be the Usain Bolt of soccer!

But what if they cannot? At what point do we say that the player will never reach the required level to compete because of a lack of physicality?

Firstly, you have to define what the player can do. We have seen players that are physically small and slow but excel in other aspects, such as positioning and ball handling. Always think about where a player can play depending on their physical attributes. After all, somebody has to be the slowest or the smallest in any team.

Secondly, try to explain the physical attributes at a given age. Kids are developing and a sudden growth spurt or illness can cause physical imbalance compared to other players. However, projecting 1-3 years ahead, that might reverse itself. Furthermore, not all players live in an environment that is raising natural athletes. An overweight kid can quickly change their weight over one summer while growing up and playing sports every day. So, try to find the reasoning behind why some physical characteristics are jumping out.

Psychological traits

While it is the most important aspect, it is the hardest one to identify within the time allocated. After all, you can’t know what is happening in the mind of a young kid. It is a labyrinth of determination, focus, and confidence, packaged with impatience and doubt, bombarded with peer pressure and social media. Now try to figure out how they will develop and behave in the years to come.

When a player comes to tryouts, the most important thing is to see if they are comfortable or nervous. Your goal is to figure out a way to make them feel as comfortable as possible, so you see them for who they will be in a few months. More often than not, you need to actually remove the spotlight from them. Otherwise, you have to put some spotlight to motivate them. Once you figure that out, it’s time to identify the key traits:

Competitiveness

Without this one, there is really nothing we can do as coaches or parents. Many other traits, such as grit or resilience, are actually taught. It’s easy to see if the player is giving it all when it’s snowing, but you rarely get that lucky. However, competitiveness is the prerequisite for them because it is the reason why somebody will learn how to handle losses and setbacks, then work their way through them. How to spot it? In 50-50 situations, the competitive players will go full throttle into them. Stronger and more skillful players will often shy away, but that shows more about their competitiveness or lack thereof. 

Focus

Soccer is a game that is played with the brain. Furthermore, soccer is a game that is practiced with the brain. So, lack of focus not only affects other aspects that don’t require ball mastery or physical attributes, such as communication to their teammates, positioning, and anticipation but also a player cannot develop technical abilities without deep learning. For that, they need to be able to focus. So, the amazing fact is that both performance and improvement depend on the ability to focus. That is a purely mental aspect and not something that can be spotted at a very early age.

Coachability

This overloaded term basically means that the player is with the mindset to learn something. Often times a kid has played with soccer toys as a toddler and looks like a magician, but refuses to take any advice. Over time they will lag behind an attentive player that has no technical skill at the moment. Michael Jordan said that his best trait was that he was coachable, so let’s not underestimate the value of this characteristic. At tryouts, give them an unusual request in between sessions, such as “Try passing with your weaker foot” or “Do tight marking on defense”. If you immediately see they try to do that, it doesn’t matter if they fail to execute. You have somebody that can follow instructions and improve their game at every practice.

Steps to recruit the young soccer talent to your team

Congratulations! You’ve managed to spot a young soccer talent, but how do you ensure they join your team and not your rivals? Here are a few steps to help you recruit that budding star:

1. Make your team appealing: Showcase the benefits of joining your team, such as a supportive coaching staff, top-notch facilities, and a strong winning mentality. This is not something that happens once in a while. You need to convince them every day at every practice. Same as any other brand, it takes lifetime to create trust and 5 minutes to destroy it, so be careful.

2. Communicate with the player and their family: Engage in open and transparent conversations with the player and their family. Address any concerns they may have and show them that your team is the perfect fit for their aspirations. It’s way more important to maintain your best players than to recruit new ones. Yes, it can be annoying when parents believe that their kid is the next Ronaldo while you have to tie their shoelaces. However, the only way for the player to become that good is to have the belief.

3. Offer development opportunities: Highlight the opportunities for growth and improvement within your team. Show them that you have a plan to nurture their talent and help them reach their full potential. Every club plans to do development, but very few really do. Make sure you record games over a period of time. They’ll be amazed with the progress of the players. If they are not, then maybe you need to really think how to improve the development in your club.

4. Create a welcoming environment: Make sure your team has a positive and inclusive atmosphere. Showcase the camaraderie and friendship that exists among the players. After all, who wouldn’t want to be a part of a team that feels like a second family? Don’t forget that the team exists for the players not the parents or the coaches!

Building a network for talent identification

Spotting a young soccer talent is not a one-time endeavor; it requires a network of talent spotters to cast their watchful eyes over the soccer fields. Building a network of coaches, scouts, and soccer enthusiasts will increase your chances of finding that hidden gem. Attend local tournaments, interact with other coaches, and join talent identification programs to expand your network. Remember, the more eyes you have on the field, the more talents you’ll uncover!

Our favorite examples are when a whole family have been part of the same club. That usually means that we have done a great job across multiple teams and multiple coaches. These soccer families know they have options and they will not hesitate to explore them. However, when they stay in the club, they bring their other relatives, neighbors and friends to it. It’s such an amazing experience for everybody and really builds the clubs to have the family environment when people great each other and have fun together.

A world of soccer talent awaits!

Spotting a young soccer talent is like embarking on a thrilling treasure hunt. It requires a keen eye, a bit of luck, and a whole lot of patience. With this knowledge, you are now ready to venture into the world of talent spotting. Don’t forget that it is still a journey that you should embark on. The better you become at developing talent, the better you will be at spotting it. It’s a reinforcing cycle that delivers fantastic results. So gather your coaching staff, put on your detective hat, and get ready to uncover the next soccer superstar. The world is waiting for that young talent, and it’s up to you to find them!

We all love soccer, because of passion and the history we have with it. We know it’s good and promotes teamwork, discipline, and physical fitness. However, we often have no idea how to motivate young kids to practice soccer, even when we see amazing soccer talent in plain sight. As parents, coaches, and fellow players, we have a responsibility to inspire and ignite their passion for the game. We often see a kid just standing there, doing nothing at all or something unrelated, like dancing or singing. Or sometimes a player is practicing only at practice, but not outside. Often times a player wants to play, but not practice. By collectively setting standards, reinforcing fun, providing healthy competition, and offering incentives, we can help young kids fall in love with soccer and develop their skills on and off the field.

Coordinated effort by parents, coaches, and other players

Motivating young kids to practice soccer requires a coordinated effort from parents, coaches, and other players. It is crucial to create a supportive and encouraging environment where everyone works towards a common goal. Imagine if a player gets mixed messages from the sides involved. For example, let’s say that the rule of the coach is to win the game as the only goal. The parents advise the player to make friends at soccer. The other players are here just to have fun. What conclusion should the player have in the end? At best, the player has already built their own mind and can navigate this conflicting signals. More likely, at young age the player will be confused and will likely not progress as well as they could. 

Coaches and parents should communicate regularly to align on the goals of the team. If the coach is coaching a teenage rec league team with equal playing time and only positive feedback, then the parent cannot hold the player to an expectation to play for the national team. Parents can attend practices and games, cheer for their children, and offer words of encouragement. Coaches should foster a positive team dynamic, focusing on building skills and teamwork rather than solely on winning. Fellow players should act as role models, helping and supporting each other both on and off the field. By working together, we can create an atmosphere that motivates young kids to practice soccer consistently.

Coaches set standards and keep soccer fun – ultimate way to motivate kids to practice soccer

Coaches play a vital role in motivating young kids to practice soccer. Even if they find and recruit the best players, they still need to add their expertise to the mix. They should set clear standards and expectations, helping children understand the importance of discipline and commitment. However, it is equally essential for coaches to keep soccer fun. Engaging training sessions that incorporate drills, friendly competitions, and small-sided games can make practice enjoyable for young kids. By creating a balance between structure and fun, coaches can inspire their players to eagerly attend each session and give their best effort.

Should coach play more games at practice instead of drills?

The goal of the practices is to develop the technical, physical and psychological aspects of the players and the team. So, if we see a great technique, but poor attitude in practice, then maybe the drill is great for technical development, but creates the bad habits. Sprint races can be great for physical and psychological development, but it provides very little new technical skill. The most important question to ask is if the players are engaged and doing their best. The main role of the coach is to keep the players at the optimal level of practice using any method they know. This means that sometimes they would create fun games that take little effort and other times have conditioning training that is not creative at all.

Trick for coaches

As gifts work for motivating soccer coaches, they work x 1 million for teh players. Find the cheapest reward that you can think of and give it as a prize once a month. I have given water bottles for prizes, which cost less than 3 dollars per bottle, to the player that did most juggles that practice. When players found out the rules, they started practicing for hours every day to win that water bottle at the next practice. For context, the player that practiced the most had an amazing hydro flask and his parents drive a Tesla – my point is that it’s not about the money, it’s about the competition.

Parents can motivate kids to practice soccer daily

While coaches have a significant impact, parents also have a crucial role in motivating young kids to practice soccer. First of all, they have to get the right gear in the sun and in the rain. Of course, kids needs to stay safe, but you want them to go with full effort through the heat and the snow during their soccer practices and games. Parents should reinforce the fun aspect of the sport by attending games, recording the soccer games of the players, showing enthusiasm, and celebrating their child’s achievements. Additionally, parents can create opportunities for practice at home and in the backyard. Setting up a mini soccer field, organizing friendly matches with siblings or neighborhood kids, and participating in drills together can further enhance a child’s interest in soccer. By actively engaging in their child’s soccer journey, parents can instill a sense of dedication and passion.

The chat in the car on the way to practices/games and after can be incredibly powerful for the psychological development of the person, not only the player. The best method for this is to ask guiding questions and to make sure to focus on the effort and not the outcome. Sometimes they are the poacher that scores tons of goals, but otherwise the team might be losing badly. Read about how to talk to a soccer player and encourage them. Parents know their kids the best, but often they don’t know themselves as well. It’s important to have no judgment and to create positive reinforcement to encourage the player to try their best. The parent has to create standards that the kid will aspire to even if they are on their own.

Trick for parents

Support a moderate amount of soccer media to be consumed in order to motivate kids to practice soccer. There are various books to be read, from soccer biographical stories for various ages, to tactical analysis and stories about other supporting roles of the soccer world. There are soccer movies or even sports movies in general, that can be very motivational. Finally, there are video games – we are against unlimited time, but a moderate amount can be beneficial. One game that we recommend is FIFA or Pro Evolution Soccer, but what we would recommend is to play in the career mode, where the player controls one player only. They will learn much better how to be positioned correctly but also increase their patience when they don’t have the ball.

Soccer Competition Makes Sense Only With Other Competitors

“You are the average of the 5 people you interact most with” – we have all heard this rule before. If that is true for the personality a human develops, it is even more true for the soccer player. As soccer is not played in the kitchen, classroom, or music recitals, it is even more vital to get the right teammates. The right teammates are those that can exchange skills, passion, and team spirit. That doesn’t mean that they will be model citizens, although it would be great if they were. The character of exceptional competitiveness and fighting spirit does not always accompany modest behavior. However, it is often when the biggest fighters against opponents are the biggest supporters and protectors of their teammates. Be that kind of player and find like-minded teammates.

Mentorship, leadership and captaincy

Soccer is a great way to become a mentor for your teammates and younger players, too. Every player on the team is on a learning journey and there is always more to discover. The mentor-mentee relationship is beneficial for both sides. After all, being a captain of the soccer team is nothing else than being a mentor to each player on that team. Each player on the team is there to support, encourage and challenge the other players on the team. Finding healthy ways to motivate kids to practice soccer will transcend soccer and if the player develops leadership skills, they will keep them in any profession they end up pursuing a career in.

Tricks for teammates

The rule is very simple – be a true friend! High-five them when do a good job, and tell them when they don’t do their best. If somebody is insecure, say loudly that you want to play with them during scrimmage. If somebody is being not serious, tell them that they owe you and the team to get better. Maybe somebody is being arrogant, so you have to address that, too. Playing outside of practice and games is common, so make sure you invite your teammates to play with you. True friendship is the cornerstone of a happy team and great players.

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Motivating young kids to practice soccer requires a collective effort from parents, coaches, and other players. By fostering a supportive and encouraging environment, setting standards, keeping soccer fun, providing healthy competition, and offering incentives, we can inspire kids to love soccer. Let us nurture their enthusiasm and ignite the flame of passion, so that they may not only excel on the soccer field but also develop valuable life skills that will stay with them forever.

No, you should not – that is the short answer. The longer answer is that it depends. Before we start getting into that, don’t expect rewards if you are the soccer coach, in the common way of thinking. One of the most fulfilling experiences a parent can have is to coach their own child in soccer. However, this also entails a lot of responsibilities and challenges. As a parent, you should weigh the pros and cons of taking on such a role. Here are some things to consider before making the decision to coach your own kid in soccer. We’ll look into it to see the pros and cons you might have as a coach, but also the kid and the team. These are all separate aspects and they require a full examination.

Pros of coaching your own kid

One of the biggest advantages of coaching your own child is the opportunity to spend quality time with them while teaching them something they love. Say that you like the sport and you are driving your kid to practice and back. Well, you might as well spend that extra hour or two on the field, being useful to society instead of just scrolling through this site. You can also film the soccer games and contribute to building an archive for all players on the team. This assumes you are actually a coach and you have a genuine desire for soccer. You can do the same by gifting them great books and reading with them, but this is extra.

Secondly, coaching allows you to keep an eye on your child’s progress and development, which can increase your bond with them. Moreover, coaching your child in soccer can boost their confidence and self-esteem, as well as help them develop important social skills. If you know your kid is shy, it might be great for them to feel more comfortable when you are the coach.

Finally, you know what works for your kid to learn better. Presumably, you already have a passion for coaching soccer and impacting lives. Furthermore, you get to know the friends from soccer, so you know what works for them to learn faster. It is likely that this works better when the soccer players are very young, playing on small soccer fields, and not in their teenage years. That doesn’t mean that at some point you end up being completely hands-off as they get older. However, you might want to let professionals do the work.

Negative sides of your kid being on the team you coach

Well, you need to discipline them sometimes and everybody knows they are yours. That’s definitely not an easy dilemma to have. It can be messy and handling it in public is difficult. Furthermore, you might need to discipline their teammates. On top of the regular challenges, you need to think about the interaction between your kid and that other kid. You don’t want your kid to feel excluded because you had to handle their misbehaving friend.  

Playing time is always a big issue in youth sports and the coach always needs to balance it. Now, if you give too much time to your kid, it can backfire for the team regardless of how good they are. If you give too little time to your kid, then your kid will be mad at you. I have seen kids being angry with their parent coaches for years. So, tread carefully there, or completely step out of it.

At some point, the player has to understand that having their parent as the coach is not “the real world”. Yes, it can happen, but it is not the default state where the parent will be their teacher, boss, or coach. Our recommendation is to make sure the player feels comfortable on the team, but at some point step away and let them experience what it is like when the coach is not their parent. You don’t want that to happen in college for the first time. There will be other first-time challenges to handle then.

Like a doctor – you nurse them at home when they have small soccer injuries, but you bring them to the doctor for serious ones. Or the education system as a whole – you help them with their homework but still send them to school. Why would it be different when it comes to quality soccer development?

How to make the most when you coach your own kid

If you decide to coach your own kid, there are ways to ensure that it is a positive and enjoyable experience for both of you. Start by setting clear boundaries and expectations for both you and your child. Establish rules and let your child know that they will be treated like any other player on the team. This is something that should be clear to the other players and the parents, too. Additionally, communicate with your child about their goals and aspirations, and work together to achieve them.

It is also important to maintain a positive attitude and focus on the process of learning and development, rather than just winning games. Encourage your child to have fun and enjoy the game, and don’t put too much pressure on them to perform well. That is the key to being a great soccer parent in general. Finally, be open and receptive to feedback from your child and other parents, and use it to improve your coaching skills and approach.

However, if your kid shows ambition to be more involved, put in extra effort, and requires more professional commitment, it is up to you to step away or move your child to a more professional environment. To make an analogy that you would understand. If a kid is sick, a parent should nurse them because they can provide extra personal and personalized care. But if there is a suggestion that it requires professional aid, then they should take them to the doctor. There is no reason for this to be different in soccer.

The joys of coaching your own little soccer star

Coaching your own child in soccer can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. Seeing your child grow and develop their skills, and watching them enjoy the game, can be incredibly fulfilling. Coaching also allows you to be a positive role model for your child, and to build a strong relationship with them that will last a lifetime.

As we discussed before, ideally it would be done in the youngest groups and at the lower level. To be more explicit, if the age of the players is in single digits and the level is recreational. The moment the players transition to the premier level, it is less ideal for the parent to be a coach for more than one year. Remember, it is all about the development of the player.

Coaching your own child in soccer is a decision that requires careful consideration. While it can be challenging at times, it can also be an incredibly rewarding experience for both you and your child. By setting clear boundaries, maintaining a positive attitude, and focusing on the process of learning and development, you can make coaching your own little soccer star a joyful and fulfilling experience.

If you’re passionate about soccer and love to watch and analyze the game, then becoming a soccer scout could be the perfect career for you. Scouting has changed in every sport for sure, and soccer is not an exception. Scouts can go and see exciting matches around the world, but they can also see them on their TVs with the technologies today like Veo and Trace. With the right systems, such as Skillshark, they can really speed up the process of player evaluation. However, you can still see scouts of the largest clubs living in places like Croatia or Rio de Janeiro, turning every stone to find the next soccer superstar. Let’s talk about how you can take the first steps to become a soccer scout, what you will need to get further, and what the game is all about.

Step-by-Step: How to Become a Pro Soccer Scout

USSF created Talent Identification Centers across the USA. They are free one-day events for boys and girls that are 13-15 years old. The goal is to identify the biggest talent for future soccer stars for the national teams. Obviously, the first step is to identify the talent for the youth national teams. Now, that seems great in theory, but it is minute compared to what the European best clubs are doing. Furthermore, think about it – if there is a 12-year-old player who might be able to play at the national level, do you really need to wait and go to one of the identification centers? It is more likely that scouts of Dortmund, RB Leipzig, and Arsenal have already watched footage of the player. Yes, scouts watch footage of the best U10 players. It truly is that competitive.

In terms of education, there is a Talent Scout License that the USSF created in 2019. It is 8-day course, split into two parts. It requires the candidate to already have a B coaching license and work in an organization that already does talent identification. For comparison, the FA has 5 levels of education for soccer scouts, the highest being for Technical Directors. The first one is free, and you should take the online course even if you don’t intend to become a soccer scout. 

The Ultimate Guide to Soccer Scouting

Now that you know what it takes to be a licensed scout, let us guide you through the steps of what it takes to be good at it.

1. You have to love soccer

Most of the games you see will not result in anything really meaningful. Warren Buffett said that when he was young he went through every single company in Moody’s to find what he wanted to buy. When asked how to handle a large number of companies in the manual, he said “Start with A”. You just have to like the process of looking at an infinite number of games and players.

2. Define Talent

The potential of a soccer player is in four sections – Technical/Tactical, Psychological, Physical, and Social. You must be able to identify and evaluate all four aspects to become a good scout. I was at a tryout once for another team in my club, looking at one player that was playing better than most of the players. As always, they were small-sided 5v5 games. Every 2-3 minutes, it will take the ball from their own goal, dribble through 3-4 opponents and score a goal. The rest of the time was walking far from the ball, kind of like what Messi was doing at the World Cup.

As a scout, I learned only some aspects – fantastic dribbler, but don’t know if the passing and receiving are good. Physically, very explosive, but maybe low stamina. That’s most of it. See the issue? You need to see the players in various settings, with high and low pressure, such as games vs practices. Or playing against both stronger and weaker opponents. The most important thing is to be true to the evaluation and be sure you know that there are gaps you need to fill.

3. Become a coach

There is a good reason that the USSF requires you to have coaching license B before you can take the scouting course. The B license means that you’ve been a coach for at least several years. Being a scout can define life paths for young people, in a positive or a negative way. So, you have to understand the day-to-day life of these players, not just the performance on game day. Ask any experienced coach about the importance of coachability, and they will have many stories of young players who never made it because they did not have the right mindset for practice and relationships with any of the coaches. Other times, the issue is the particular coach and that is a key point to see. Become a coach to get the experience you need to understand both the human and the player that you want to evaluate.

4. Have a system and document everything

So, you’ve seen Moneyball and believe you can be Brad Pitt in soccer. The story is about the role of data analysis in scouting to give an edge in sport business. Of course, nobody dreams of becoming Jonah Hill, even though he is the real scout in the movie. Going through thousands of hours of soccer footage can be fun, but deriving data from it might not be for everybody. Then you start learning soccer statistical terms, such as xGs, possession percentages, progressive passes, tackling stats, and so on. But how do you make any sense of this when you watch 10-year-olds? You can definitely use Veo or Trace to get not only the footage but these statistics. However, it is up to you to document and create an understanding of them.

If you use a platform like Skillshark, you will not get lost in the data and will get better at both evaluating players and figuring out what matters and what doesn’t. It creates player cards and keeps the data over months, so you can see which traits progress over time. Perhaps certain aspects of the games improve or degrade, but also you will see if they are easily measurable and see their importance.

As we talked about before, statistics will tell you the Technical and the Physical aspects, but the social and the psychological, it’s up to you to evaluate. Furthermore, if you document your evaluation when a player is 10 years old, it will help you reevaluate them at age 12. It will help you evaluate the player, but also the coach – you can see if the coach had a positive effect on them. Finally, it will help you become a better scout by looking truthfully at your evaluations from 2 years ago and see if you get it right.

5. Fish where the fish are

One of the best players that I have brought into one of my teams was a 10-year-old boy that never practiced before. The parents didn’t speak good English and were not wealthy at all. Therefore, they didn’t look for a club, knowing that they cannot afford it. However, the boy played pickup games with his dad and his dad’s friends several times a week – that’s how I noticed him. When he came in, he was ready to compete with anybody and is still developing very well. It took a lot of effort to bring him into the club, and of course that was with a full scholarship. So, get out there and be in places where you normally wouldn’t be. The only way to grow is to get out of your comfort zone. You will meet other scouts, coaches and even agents of young soccer players. It will be fun! 

Your Path to Becoming a Soccer Scouting Expert

Becoming a soccer scouting expert takes time, effort, and dedication. However, it’s a very fulfilling and exciting career path. To become an expert, you need to keep learning. Stay up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies, and seek feedback from your peers and mentors. Ideally, you specialize in a particular area. For example, youth development, international markets, or data analysis. Lastly, you need to build your reputation, credibility, and brand. Communicate with people by writing articles, giving talks, and networking with other experts in the field.

Becoming a soccer scout is not an easy journey, but it’s definitely worth the effort. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can start your path toward becoming a pro soccer scout. Remember, it’s not just about watching soccer. It is about making a difference in players’ lives and contributing to the beautiful game. Good luck on your journey!

In the US, there is a transition time in grassroots soccer that we play the 9v9 soccer formation. It is in the U11 and U12 age groups. This sounds fairly similar to the 7v7, where there are two years to coach the new formation before moving to a more complicated one. However, the lessons you need to teach the players and the challenges are vastly different. Don’t forget that eventually, you need to move to 11v11 where we’ll start with a 4-3-3 formation, so the lessons will be building blocks for that stage.

As we always do, we focus on the players and what they need right now. Firstly, keep in mind that at this age some of them are getting into puberty, while others won’t for a few more years. Secondly, some players have likely been coached well in 4v4 and 7v7, while others have no idea what formations are. Before you start complaining, keep in mind that even at the highest level, some players get tactics better than others. If you want the same level of background knowledge among your pupils, think about coaching tennis or chess. We are working on tactical player development with a long-term mindset.

What is the best 9v9 soccer formation?

The best 9v9 soccer formation for youth player development is 2-3-2-1, or what many of the coaches call the Christmas tree. We said it in the 4v4 guide and in the 7v7 guide, this might not be the best formation for winning the game. However, this is the best formation to coach the tactical knowledge that the players need to learn at this age. You have two years of it and we do recommend coming up with a dual system where you start with 2-3-2-1 and later down the road progress to 3-1-3-1. We’ll walk you through the reasons, as well as touch on a few other options that can be used. 

Special note: you, as the coach, will start to feel considerable pressure to win. The players will hit that level of competitiveness because of puberty. The parents are becoming restless because they have read of the superstars being widely known at this age and their kids lose games. The coaches at the club wonder if you are doing a good job, while other clubs try to steal your best players. You will have to resist this temptation and have faith in the process. It’s a developmental process and it is a dance of the coach, the player, and the parents. For everyone’s sake, if somebody doesn’t like the music they will have to change it or leave the podium.

2-3-2-1 [Guide and Progression]

3-1-3-1 [Guide and Progression]

3-3-2 (narrow 3-1-3-1)

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Path forward for the 9v9 Soccer Formation

This is the full guide on how to coach the two years of 9v9 in youth soccer development. The ideas of roles and responsibility, team cohesion, solidarity, tactics, and strategy, are formed here at this age. It is important to have a system and to discuss it with the players collectively and individually. It will make you learn better approaches as a coach, but also it will make the players think about making a contribution to the team in whichever role they have at the moment. That mindset will set them up for success in every field in life. 

The guide explains how to use the 2 years of 9v9 to develop all positions that you might need for the 11v11 formations. Some soccer clubs mandate their youth level to play the same formation as the senior team. However, at 11v11, every formation is a fair game in our books. We will go deep into some of those formations and how to use them for teaching valuable lessons, which is the goal of youth soccer development.

If you’re passionate about soccer but need to manage the playing time and contact, it’s time to become a soccer referee. It is a great way to stay involved in the game, and if you never played then get involved. It is not only a great way to stay fit and active but also a great way to earn some extra cash. The reason why it pays well is that not everybody wants to become a soccer referee. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of becoming a soccer referee. You should try it and if you love it at the end, just shoot us a thank you note!

Ready to Blow the Whistle?

First things first, before you can become a soccer referee, you need to make sure you have the right mindset for the job. As a referee, you need to be confident, assertive, and able to make quick decisions on the spot. You also need to be able to handle pressure and criticism from players and coaches, while still maintaining your authority on the field.

Did you read between the lines? People will yell at you when it’s not your fault!!! We’ve seen parents yelling at referees because their kid slipped on the ball instead of kicking it. An adult player screamed at a referee that he is “ruining soccer and the world”! Yes, they sometimes shake hands at the end, but the behavior can be surreal if you haven’t played much and don’t understand why people act that way. This is the main reason why people don’t want to be referees. However, if you think you can brush that off, keep reading!

Steps to Become a Soccer Referee

To become a soccer referee, you’ll need to complete a training course and obtain a certification from your local soccer association. The cost is about $99 but can vary sometimes – check USSF. The total time is about 6 hours to complete, half of which is in person. As we said, referees are treated almost like an endemic species. In addition to the payment for each game, many clubs cover the cost of the license (and future licenses) if you commit to their club. This means that you will ref a certain number of games, which is about 20 per year, for that club. To make it fair, that also means that you will not be the referee for games of that club.

Do you know the one requirement for becoming a soccer referee? Being 13 years old. That’s it! 

Game On: Refereeing Techniques

As a referee, your job is to ensure that the game is played fairly and safely. This means that you need to know the rules of the game inside and out. At the grassroots level, i.e. the youngest competitors, there are variations in the rules. For example, the size of the field, the number of players on the soccer field, and even some other rules vary. They sometimes play with a buildout line and no heading, for safety reasons.

I always bring both coaches before the game to go over these rules, as they often coach multiple teams and don’t remember them. At the lowest levels and with the youngest groups, some rules are made up on the spot. Foul throw-ins are ignored or I ask for a retake. To be a successful referee, you need to be able to read the game, anticipate plays, and stay focused on the action at all times. Remember you manage the players, coaches, and parents, and really you are managing their frustration. 

Winning in the World of Refs

Becoming a soccer referee is a great way to get involved in the game, stay fit and active, and earn some extra cash on the side. It’s also a great way to develop your leadership and decision-making skills. As you gain more experience and confidence as a referee, you can work your way up to higher-level games and earn more money. The levels of the referees are:

Grassroots – this is what we talked about so far. 6 hours of training, 13 years of age, and you are good to start.

Regional – it is a big step from the grassroots level. You need 3 years of referee experience, 50 games as a referee, 25 games as an assistant referee, and 18 years of age.

National – at this level the requirements get even more serious. You need 2 years as Regional Referee, with 40 games as a referee and 25 games as an assistant referee. From this level up, you are invited to take the course and cannot just apply for it.

We are not going through the upper levels of Emeritus, Pro, and FIFA. If you ever get into those categories, you should contact us for a profile interview. At that level, we are not talking about a small side gig, but a different level of commitment. So if you’re ready to blow the whistle and become a soccer referee, now is the time to take the first step and sign up for a training course.

In the US, the first time there is any structure and roles for the grassroots soccer players is when we play 4v4 soccer formation. It is in the U8 and younger age groups. So, before we jump into it, please remember that this is not about revealing secrets on how to win every game because of the tactical soccer genius that deserves folk songs. The score really doesn’t matter and it’s all about falling in love with the game and learning something new. This is the first time that players hear about a position, so just ease them in and ask them to think about it. The next transition is to 7v7 and they will have two years in that format. We are using these formations just as platforms for soccer development over the long term.

What is the best 4v4 soccer formation?

There is no one best formation for winning the game. However, mentioning positions is important for the players to start thinking about them. If you coach the team for a year, we recommend trying both basic formations and also rotating all the players through them. It will give you an idea of what their personalities are and how they might develop over time, especially as you move to develop the roles in a 7v7 structure. The two formations are 1-2-1, in somewhat of a diamond shape, which will be used throughout the soccer careers of these very young players; and 2-2, i.e. the square.

1-2-1 [Guide and Progression]

2-2 [Guide and Progression]

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The 4v4 soccer formation goal

This is the full guide on how to coach the tactics of 4v4 in youth soccer development. It might look short and it should be. The focus on tactics should be minimal at this U8 and younger age. You should focus on technical excellence in soccer development at this age. Of course, get the player to think about their roles and talk to them about it. However, keep it simple and honest, and make sure they are trying their best in every position they play.

In the US, there is a transition time in grassroots soccer that we play the 7v7 soccer formation. It is in the U9 and U10 age groups, also known as the Development League. This structure is the first time that players start to stick to a position, so it is important to understand them and coach the right lessons. This is the transition from 4v4 and it is the path to 9v9, so that should be considered when choosing the formation. We are using formations for player development and the long-term plan in mind.

What is the best 7v7 soccer formation?

There is no one best formation for winning the game, as we talked about in the 4v4 guide. However, as you have two years of development at this age, we recommend doing the 2-3-1 for one year. This includes the 4-1-1 and 2-1-3 variations. Then in the second year, give 3-2-1 a shot to see if there is a natural central defender and to test the waters of playing with two central midfielders. That will help the transition to 9v9 where both 3-1-3-1 and 2-3-2-1 will be possible with the player development that you have.

2-3-1 [Guide and Progression]

3-2-1 [Guide and Progression]

1-4-1

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Conclusion

This is the full guide on how to coach the two years of 7v7 in youth soccer development. We focus on what skills our players need to develop through the games as experiences. We develop wingers and wingbacks that are fast and responsible. We develop defenders that can operate alone or in partnerships. Our goalies are good with their feet. The striker press the line high, while having freedom to go on the wings. Finally, we develop the central midfielders in both offensive and defensive duties. Our goal is to develop complete players and this is the complete guide on how to do that in 7v7 soccer formations, appropriate for the age. 

The Future of Soccer Development 2024

Technology is both exciting and scary. Perhaps not the use of technology in soccer development, but in almost everything else. We are bombarded by the horrible outcomes that AI will cause in this world. One side says that we will all be replaced and become jobless. Another side is saying that AI is already working against the human race and any day now it will win. We don’t know about AI, but we know soccer education and we’ll focus on exactly that. How do we develop soccer players? How can the technology help us do a better job at the moment? Where it will be in the next decade or two?

Which technology are we going to look at?

Before we jump into it, let us just define the technology we will analyze and which ones we will avoid. Computer technologies, including AI, machine learning, computer vision, AR/VR, data science, and wearables are all fair game in our analysis. As you can see it is all based on captured videos of soccer practices and games. We will not talk about sciences related to chemicals, drugs, or gene editing. It is a fascinating area of science and there is so much to explore. But we just don’t feel like experts in the area and don’t think we can add much color to it. If you are interested in learning more about gene editing our way to a superhuman without one word about soccer, we recommend most of the 500+ pages of The Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson. 

But what if we can use technology in soccer development to create the environment and achieve superhuman results through all the knowledge of psychology, child development, sociology, and technology that we have at the moment…

What are the challenges that soccer coaches face?

Let’s talk about what a technical soccer skill is – it is a motor skill, meaning the specific movement of the body’s muscles to perform a certain task. It is important to distinguish that there is no decision-making in this process, only the execution of a predetermined action. At the highest level of competition, the decision is conscious and the skill is subconscious. Colloquially, some people refer to it as muscle memory, and is present in all sports, playing instruments, body movements, and even writing. However, once we form our handwriting in our childhood, we do not change it in our life unless some serious injury occurs that forces our neural system to adjust. In the world of soccer, the legendary Arsenal manager of 22 years, famous for his talent identification, said:

…the base of the player is the technique. You get that between seven and fourteen years of age. If you have no technical skill at 14, you can forget it, you can never be a football player.

Arsene Wenger

How do we do “deep practice”?

Let’s think about – how did we learn to write? We isolated only one letter, broke the task into pieces, and did each piece of it slowly with lots of attention and focus. We repeated that many times over and today we write the letter subconsciously. Now when we write a word or a sentence, we don’t think about the steps one by one. However, we decide on the words to use and the order in which to place them, and even the sentence that comes after that.

How does a piano player achieve the right tempo on technically difficult tasks? It is the same process of isolating the hard fragment and playing it correctly at a very slow speed. If that is too hard, we will split it into only the left and only the right hand separately. Then we will bring it together at a slow speed, before proceeding at a higher tempo. When the pianist moves to a higher speed, it is an adjustment or a correction and with the appropriate repetition, it strengthens the neural network even further.

The way we do deep practice is through precise repetition in a controlled environment. Let’s split those two interdependent terms. If the repetition is not precise, it will create a strengthening of the incorrect neural connections, resulting in a sloppy technique. Subsequently, that leads to creating an uncontrolled environment at the highest level of competition. On the other hand, if the environment is not controlled, it leads to an imprecise repetition and forming of the wrong muscle memory.

Why can’t coaches just teach “deep practice”?

Now that we know what the secret is, why can’t we just do it? Well, have you had an argument with a kid that they should practice their violin? If it is too easy then it’s boring. If it is too hard then it’s daunting. And this is a piece of music targeted specifically for the skill of this violinist. Now, try to target the right drill at the right level for your 15 soccer players at the same time. Impossible! What if there is a way to monitor the challenge to make it just right, at the right time for each player?

Flow

Let us make one more analogy with the 5 heart-rate zones and our soccer deep practice. We sit and lay down in the resting HR, so not really useful zone for our goal of deep practice. Light intensity is where we get sloppy because we lose focus and don’t have full control over our movements. Moderate intensity is where all our focus is on the precise movement, with no effort spent on decision-making or opposition. Vigorous intensity is when we have competition at practice to adjust and correct for a certain level of opposition, as designed by the drill. As we have said many times, we love rondos because we decide that level of intensity and opposition. Finally, the final red zone is for games and there is no technical development there because it is an uncontrolled environment as we discussed earlier.

What will be solved by technology in soccer development in the next decade?

Green zone

Let us reuse the musical instruments examples from before. The steps to improve a particular instrumentalist are to analyze the music played, identify the issue of that particular player, and suggest the exercise to be performed. Current tech can definitely do that and will likely not need more than a smartphone to do so. It will get better with AI and potentially image processing to suggest an adjustment of the hand posture and movements. It is definitely getting us closer to the flow.

Ball mastery apps

When it comes to technology in soccer development, we already have something similar in the market. There are products and apps that give a task (might or might not be appropriate for the player) and keep track of the quality of performance. Apps like Techne Futbol show the drill in slow motion that needs to be made and give a dose of dopamine when the user accomplishes a certain time of practice. A step further is DribbleUp. They show drills for ball manipulation and ball mastery and use a phone camera to measure the success rate of it. The flow is there with a clear goal and instant feedback.

A beginner coach can watch a Youtube video and repeat the movement slowly and in steps. The coach can have a stopwatch and count the movement of one player at a time. However, only an expert coach with years of experience can identify the issue in the motor skill and quickly find a way to correct it. I believe that the technology of image processing and machine learning is smart enough to do that. It should be able to detect issues in the movement – too little hip opening, too much knee bending, or arms too static…

With the amount of soccer data and soccer drills available, it should give feedback and pick the appropriate corrective drill to fix that. Then once that is fixed it will move to the next drill for that player. I have no doubt that by the end of the decade, an app will be able to do all that.

Yellow zone

Smart soccer training gyms

When looking at state-of-the-art facilities at La Masia, we can see that there are small turf indoor fields for individual player development. Using multiple machines to throw and receive, a ball comes from one place to the middle where a player receives it and passes to another place where the system indicates that the ball should go with a visual signal. The system is predetermined and the variations are randomizing the locations and the speed of the ball.

However, it seems like there is very little feedback that the system does to analyze the weaknesses of the player in the middle and target those. Adding AI to the system will bring the knowledge of the best coaches from the best academies in the world, practically to any gym that will have this system. A player can rent the tool and practice on their own the same way the best players in the world. Globalizing this tool will uplift soccer development in the world.

Devices

We talked about getting in the challenging zone with rondos, which makes us dominant in terms of numbers when we are in possession. However, it is up to the coach to design the right environment to dose the challenge just right. Now imagine using VR and AR devices we can always have the right amount of challenge. Imagine your teammates and opponents moving at the right place to vary the situation, so you make progress but are not overwhelmed. Wouldn’t that be amazing? We will be permanently in the correct zone for development and the situations will be designed to strengthen the exact neural connection that we want. That would be amazing and while it might take more than a decade or two to get to that point, we can see it happening at some point.

Why will the coach not be replaced by the technology in soccer development?

So, the soccer coach is done and we can finally stop coaching kids and just watch the World Cup? As if. The Talent Code talks about two other key components in the mastery of a skill – ignition and master coaching. I know from my cardio exercises that staying in the yellow zone is hard and it often requires a mental push. That ignition has to be sparked by the coach. However, master coaching requires silent observation and occasionally encourages good behavior and corrects bad one.

Have you ever noticed that a coach is good for a certain age group, but not for another? Being a youth soccer coach has three phases – animator, teacher, and competitor. That is according to the book that documented the path of soccer development in Croatia. For context, Croatia won 2nd and 3rd place in the last two World Cups. With a population of less than 4 million people, they had no business passing the group stage.

Soccer coach profiles

The animator role of a coach is for the youngest group of players, 10 years old and younger. At that age the ignition is not really there naturally and no technology will create it. Between the ages of 11 and 15, the profile of a coach-teacher comes to play. The players enter puberty and the coach needs to find the right balance within the team, providing not just guidance for the individual player, but also balancing the fire in the players and even between them. Finally, when the players are growing past U16, they compete and the coaches need to do the final push to get the best out of them at the right moment in every aspect – physically, mentally, and emotionally. 

These profiles will not change for the coaches with the current technology and the pathway that I can see. We are still so far from emotionally understanding, let alone connecting with the machines. Furthermore, the tech cannot help us relate to other humans in a genuine way. For example, it can help us identify who is Johnny and who is Jimmy. However, it cannot help us look genuine when we want to relate to the players. It cannot make Johnny and Jimmy like us or trust us, which is key to developing them as players and humans. Furthermore, it cannot determine that Johnny likes to compete extra today, while Jimmy looks like he is shying away from conflict. That is something that comes from life experience and emotional intelligence.

Summary

The importance of technology in soccer development has been talked about for decades. As the tech evolved over time and the amount of money poured into soccer, we are excited to see where we will get in the next decade. The future is bright and the role of the coach will change. Humans are the most adaptable species on the planet and I am sure we will adjust. However, it will be amazing to see how the technology in soccer development will create the opportunity for better technical coaching games everywhere on the planet, while the coaches can focus on adding even more value on top of it.

Volunteerism is key in grassroots soccer development in the USA. We always see volunteer coaches trying their best to coach the players, then getting lost in other tasks and finally giving up. The coaches take roles they shouldn’t take and they start handling uniforms and field scheduling. Similarly to assigning players roles on the pitch, the team should assign roles in the operations segment.

To run a quality soccer team, it is vital to have the right setup in order not to burn out. In this article, we will explore the roles in a youth soccer team to improve your chances of success on the field. Sometimes the responsibilities overlap and can be handled by the same person, but if one person handles more than 2-3 responsibilities, it is likely that there they will eventually be overwhelmed and give up.

Coaching Team roles in a youth soccer team

Head Coach

Well, this is obvious. The head coach is responsible for developing and implementing training plans, managing the team on game day, and developing team tactics. They should have experience coaching youth soccer and be able to communicate effectively with everybody else. We write so much about soccer coaches, that we will likely not focus as much in this case. However, keep in mind that the head coach plays a role in each aspect of the team, including scouting and recruiting. Players will decide if they join or not based on the head coach and you can’t outsource that.

Assistant Coaches

Assistant coaches support the head coach and assist with training and game management. Ideally, they should have experience playing or coaching soccer and be passionate about working with young players. We have written about it extensively about the roles of assistant coaches and rightly so. Many new coaches try to work without assistant coaches because they want to make sure they bond with the team. However, not every coach is the right for the right players, so find a balance of different personalities and coaching approaches and it will work.

Goalkeeping Coach

The goalkeeping coach is responsible for developing the skills of the team’s goalkeepers. They should have experience coaching goalkeepers and be able to provide individualized coaching to help each player reach their full potential. This is the only specialized coach for a position, as we don’t really need seperate coaches for defense vs attack. Ideally, these would be additional practices, but if that is not possible, at least get about 20-30% of the practices assigned for dedicated GK practices for your goalkeepers only.

Conditioning Coach

The conditioning coach is responsible for developing the team’s fitness and stamina. They should have experience developing fitness plans for youth athletes and be able to work closely with the head coach to ensure that the team is in peak condition on game day. When the players are younger (U14 and younger) the role is more of a teacher. Some players don’t know how to run properly or have gone through a growth spurt recently. A competent PT or fitness coach can address that properly.

Director of Soccer / Coach Mentor

The director of soccer provides guidance and support to the coaching team. They should have experience coaching youth soccer and be able to offer advice and mentorship to help the team reach its full potential. Very often they are the best scout and recruiter for the club, as they have connections and the credentials to “sell” the club to players and parents. The goal is for the head coach to get unbiased opinions and feedback from somebody that doesn’t know the players but knows the environment, system, and the head coach.

Management team roles in a youth soccer team

Team Manager

The team manager is the counterpart of the head coach on the management team. They will communicate with the other people on the management team and on the coaching team. The team manager should be organized, detail-oriented, and able to communicate effectively with everybody. They are responsible for organizing logistics such as scheduling games, booking fields, and arranging transportation. Finally keeping track on any paperwork, such as registration of players and coaches, as well as any documentation or certification is a responsibility that is often missed and the team manager should handle it.

Parent Communication

Effective communication with parents is essential for a successful youth soccer team. A designated parent liaison should be appointed to keep parents informed about schedules, game results, and team news. Some parents have trouble with keeping up with the schedule, carpooling, uniforms, and gear. Most of the time, the players have nothing to do with that. However, if a talented player doesn’t make it on time or keeps missing something that their parents need to do, then having a dedicated person for it will make it easier for everybody. Furthermore, the player will want to stay on your team and no other team. We also like to share pictures and soccer stories of our players with the other parents to increase the team bond. 

Gear Manager

The gear manager is in charge of ordering and distributing team uniforms, equipment, and supplies. They should be organized and proactive, ensuring that the team has everything they need to perform at their best. This role usually has a spike at the beginning of the season when all players are getting their uniforms. However, there are activities to be done throughout the year when there should be special gear for the games (canopy, bench, field markers, game balls) or when the weather changes and new gear is needed.

Team Captain

This is the only player on the list, and we wrote about the captains extensively. We talked that the team captain changes once a year or more often. That is true for the other roles and it is important to have parents who are willing to pitch in. The captaincy is great to reward and to teach the player at young age. Also, as they get older, the captain will motivate other soccer players to practice harder, by being a role model.

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By following these guidelines and structuring your youth soccer team effectively, you can improve your chances of success on the field and provide a positive and enjoyable experience for all involved. Remember, youth soccer is about more than just winning; it’s about building confidence, friendships, and a love of the game that can last a lifetime.