How to Become a Footballer at 23: Your Guide to Success

So you’re probably wondering how to become a professional footballer at 23.

Now in many people’s eyes, they see this age as being too late.

With most footballers nurtured in their youth, even as young as 9.

However, it isn’t too late yet.

You are let’s face it at a disadvantage.

Let’s not forget there is always another 16-year-old making their full debut at a professional level, each matchday.

However don’t let this deter you, instead, let it motivate you.

As while you have some catching up to do.

At 23 or younger, you still have the time to put in the work to become a footballer.

So what we need to do is access exactly how to make it happen.

Here is a quick summary:

Work on getting each of your football skills to the highest level possible. Through experience and exposure in the game.
Get yourself out in the public eye as much as possible. Nutmegging your siblings in your back garden, won’t get you very far.
Surround yourself with people who will help you achieve your goal. From friends to coaches.
Use social media to your advantage to get clips of you playing out and to grow a platform.
Lastly don’t take knockbacks so personally, this is natural. What really matters is how well you can shake them off and bounce back.

Table of Contents

Assessing Skills and Abilities

The first thing you want to do is assess what stage you are in your footballing career.

At 23, you may have gone through the youth football path, playing for local sides picking up a solid level of skills.

If not and your new to football, then you will need to look at all the core skills needed to play, and putting a ton of effort to practicing them.

Now what skills am I talking about here, well you have:

shooting
passing
dribbling
heading
ball control

All of which will be essential no matter what area of the pitch you aim to make yours.

Even if your a defender you will need to know how to strike the ball.

However, the skills are only going to be part of it.

As you will also need various physical attributes to compete at a high level.

There is one thing being able to pass a ball, to move around the pitch is another thing.

What attributes are these well you have:

speed
agility
strength
endurance
flexibility

It is vital to excel in each of these, as every professional footballer will have each of them to some degree.

Now what can you do.

Well, you can look at improving these through specific training and conditioning.

For instance, if you want to improve your speed, then look into doing a speed drill each day to make you that little bit faster over time.

Its going to make a huge difference and will help you stand out on the pitch.

But after all how important each physical trait is will depend on the position you want to play.

So if you want to be a striker who is a target man, then speed may not be as important.

But strength and flexibility will therefore be very important.

As you can see there can be trade-offs depending on the position your in.

Lastly, you have the mental side of the game.

Which is huge and if you want to be a professional footballer at 23.

Then you will need to catch up on this side.

For this, you have the decision-making abilities.

If you have seen any professional football match.

You will notice how players will mostly make the same decisions when placed in a certain scenario.

This along with the general analysis of the game, defensive and attacking structures all need to be kept in mind.

To add to the mental attributes you will need to look at potentially improving:

determination
focus
composure
decision-making skills
teamwork mentality

This echos what I speak about in this post where I highlight the 5 major reasons why footballers won’t become professional.

It’s because mentally there not ready for it.

So addressing this will be just as important, as the physical side.

Playing As Much As You Can

Now no matter what stage you are at in your climb for professional football.

Ideally, you want to be playing as much as you can.

This will immerse you more in football and quicken up your learning.

Back when I was at college, we had a football academy that would use the facilities.

Sometimes we would play against them, and what we quickly found out.

Was how ahead they were in football.

They were all mostly the same age.

However, there was exposure to the game and the hours of training they had over us.

Made them all better mentally and physically.

What this tells you is that hours in the game are the key to this.

As the famous saying, it takes 10000 hours to master a skill.

So your best start now putting as many in as you can.

Seeking Opportunities

Joining a football academy has I alluded too above, is a great way to get an immersion into Football.

Progressing your learning in the process.

However you don’t have to go down that route.

But you still want to be seeking opportunities to get yourself out there more.

What you can do is the following:

Focus on enhancing your aptitudes and physical wellness with reliable practice.
Find potential teams that match your aspirations and playing style.

Back when I was 16 years old, I became very serious about playing football.

However, the team I joined was essentially just a kick-around team.

Which had players who didn’t take it seriously.

Being there more for the fun and social side of things.

Now of course you want to be having fun playing football.

But let’s remember you want to become a professional footballer.

So you want serious training sessions that are going to better you.

Plus you want to be in a competitive environment that is going to push you.

Maybe when you were 16 or even a teenager, it would be okay to do that.

However, at 23, you ideally want to find a competitive environment.

Whether that be 6 a side or 11 a side, that will push you to better your game each week.

Building a Strong Training Routine

Now if reading this after digesting a takeaway or after playing hours of video games.

I suggest you now make that your past routine.

As from here on in, your new routine is going to be based around the sole goal of getting you close to being a professional level as possible.

Which let’s face it McDonald’s for as good as it is, won’t help you achieve it.

So what we do have.

Well firstly creating a weekly schedule that involves a balance around gym, field drills and recovery days is a place to start.

You can put in some interval training and sprints in order to build your aerobic fitness.

As for your skills, take yourself to your local park.

Maybe even rent out a local pitch if you can, to dedicate some time to practicing skills.

Incorporate some dribbling, passing, and shooting drills, so you can get those skills up.

Lastly, and let me tell you this is an aspect I put off way too long.

The strength side of your game.

Here you can do some weightlifting to build your strength.

You would laugh if you saw pictures of me when I didn’t know what a gym was when I started taking football seriously.

Now that all brings us to recovery.

You will need just as much as those work days.

Getting a foam roller and stretching out your muscles will keep them looked after, in between footballing practices.

So there you have it, that is a routine you can put into place.

Just remember that all professional footballers have strict days when it comes to resting and training.

If you want to be them.

You, therefore, need to replicate that.

Motivation isn’t what you will need.

Instead, discipline will be your friend here, as you strive for success.

Reaching Out To Others

Trying to become a professional footballer at 23 is going to be hard on your own.

This is why you will need to seek guidance and reach out to people.

Not just to get support, but to create contacts.

Unless you don’t know for a lot about football, it is who you know.

In fact, if you look at a lot of academies, some of the players who got that chance.

Had some affiliation with the club.

I would know myself, by getting a few trials for EFL clubs, through contacts.

So if you can get out there, not just to seek advice to become the best footballer you can.

But to make contacts, it will make it easier to beat the odds of reaching pro status.

Building Connections

As I spoke about earlier reaching out is key.

But there are multiple ways in which you can go about building connections so you can be a professional footballer at 23.

This consists off:

Participate in football events such as tournaments, trials, and scouting programs. This is a great way to meet coaches, scouts, and other players.
Join established football clubs. This will give you the chance to rub shoulders with experienced players, coaches, and agents.
Leverage platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Not just to reach out to footballers, but to showcase your talent to the world. Just take Luva Pedreiro a footballer with 20 million followers who got famous putting clips of him scoring goals online.
Volunteer for football clubs, to be surrounded by a footballing experience. This can not only help you learn more about how football clubs, but may get you interested in jobs in football.
Be professional when networking. Dress appropriately, be punctual, show respect, and demonstrate a strong work ethic both on and off the pitch.

All the above are great options you can do ‘off’ the pitch to improve your chances of becoming a professional footballer.

I would even argue that as long as your putting in considerable effort to both, it will make it hard to not succeed to some level within the game.

Handling Rejections and Setbacks

Rejections and setbacks in football suck.

However it’s part and parcel of the game, and trust me if you made it to being a pro footballer at 23.

You will only have to deal with plenty more.

From being told you’re not good enough, not getting regular game time, and being released.

These are all obstacles in the road that you need to take on board and learn.

After all without these, you won’t be able to grow and potentially become an even better footballer as a result.

Maximizing Opportunities

Make sure you don’t just sit around.

It’s easy to think that at 23 you have missed the boat.

I certainly did myself.

However, you need to be persistent in pursuing your dreams and stay determined.

Put in that effort to learn a tactical understanding of the game in order to read the game better.

Make sure you stay disciplined with your fitness.

This means not eating unhealthily and making sure you do not skip leg day.

Now when it comes to maximizing those opportunities, you want to be taking any opportunity that is both given and can be attained.

Whether it be attending the local scouting opportunity.

Joining that Sunday league side to put yourself in front of more eyes at the weekend.

Or even just joining a lower-league side, to gain experience and stand out on the pitch.

Whatever you do.

Don’t get too caught up on being a footballer at 23.

Just do all that is required that will make you a better footballer.

Conclusion

Whether you are 23.

Or 33.

It’s never too late to go after your footballing dreams.

Has I have gone over in this post.

A lot of it comes down to.

Your work ethic and mindset.

Making it isn’t easy.

So if you have those two things.

Aswell are willing to go through all the actionable steps.

From improving your skills with frequent training sessions.

To making an effort to join clubs to get yourself in more eyes.

Then it’s going to make becoming a professional footballer at 23 much more of a reachable goal.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I still become a professional footballer at 23?

Yes, it is possible to become a professional footballer at 23, although it may be more challenging compared to starting at a younger age. Many professional players have started their careers later in life.

2. What steps should I take to become a professional footballer at 23?

First, assess your current level of skill and fitness. Then, join a local football club or team to gain experience and exposure. Focus on improving your skills, fitness, and game understanding through regular training and practice.

3. Is it necessary to have prior experience or played in a professional setup?

While prior experience or playing in a professional setup can be beneficial, it is not always necessary. Many players have been scouted and offered professional contracts based on their talent and potential, regardless of their background.

4. How important is it to have a strong mindset and determination?

A strong mindset and determination are crucial in pursuing any professional career, including football. The road to becoming a professional footballer may have challenges and setbacks, and a positive mindset will help you overcome obstacles and stay motivated.

5. Should I seek opportunities to play in local leagues or join football academies?

Both options can be beneficial. Playing in local leagues allows you to gain match experience and showcase your skills, while joining football academies provides structured training, exposure, and potential scouting opportunities.

6. How can I increase my chances of being noticed by scouts or clubs?

Some ways to increase your chances include networking with coaches and scouts, attending football trials and combines, creating a highlight reel showcasing your skills, and actively promoting yourself through social media and online platforms dedicated to connecting players and clubs.