Prepare to Play Pro: May 16/24

Professional soccer in Europe is the pinnacle of the sport, with many of the world's top players and teams competing in various leagues across the continent. The level of play is incredibly high, and the physical and technical demands placed on players are significant.

North American players often undersestimate how high the levels of performance are in Europe or the depth and strength of play outside the top leagues.

In a recent article, Tristan Lewis, an Emerging Talent Scout at arsenal FC spoke about their U18 players playing at the 6th level in England, at Windsor FC, to gain valuable experience in men's football.

Research tells us that the most difficult transition for any youth athlete is to successfully transition to the adult levels. Several athletes in tennis, golf and football (soccer) have struggled to replicate their early success as they have transitioned to professional sport.

European Soccer Leagues

There are several top-tier soccer leagues in Europe, each with its own unique style of play and set of requirements for players. Some of the most well-known leagues include:

* English Premier League (EPL) ??

* Spanish La Liga ????

* German Bundesliga ????

* Italian Serie A ????

* French Ligue 1 ????

Each league has its own specific physical and technical demands, and players must be able to adapt to these demands in order to succeed.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands of professional soccer in Europe are significant, and players must be in peak physical condition in order to compete at the highest level. Some of the key physical requirements include:

Endurance: Professional soccer matches are long and physically demanding, with players running an average of 7-10 miles per game.

Speed and Agility: The ability to change direction quickly and accelerate is crucial for success on the field.

Strength and Power: Upper and lower body strength is important for controlling the ball and winning challenges.

Flexibility and Balance: The ability to move freely and maintain balance is essential for executing technical skills.

Technical Requirements

The technical requirements of professional soccer in Europe are also very high, and players must be skilled in several key areas, including:

Ball Control: The ability to control the ball with all parts of the body is crucial for success on the field.

Passing and Receiving: Accurate passing and receiving are essential for maintaining possession and creating scoring opportunities.

Shooting: The ability to strike the ball with power and accuracy is crucial for scoring goals.

Defending: The ability to win challenges and disrupt the opposition's attack is essential for success on the field.

Improve your Chances of Playing Professional Football (soccer) in Europe

During the last 20 years I have focused by coaching career on supporting young players in the journey to elevate their performance standards towards professional playing standards in Europe. We have helped players who have went on to play in the English Premiership, La Liga in Spain and several other professional leagues across Europe.

We have developed a program called Prepare to Play Pro which offers individual players Talent ID & coaching development support. The program is based on a clear process from talent identification to talent development and then the placement of players at professional clubs.

The program has been developed through study visits to academy programs at professional clubs in the UK, Spain, Portugal and Italy. In addition, the program is based on ?research work I complete as part of my Masters in Performance Coaching program at the University of Stirling in Scotland.

I studied the differences in talent identification and development between academy players at professional clubs in the UK and players who have developed outside an academy program at a professional club.?

Players not currently at professional clubs face the challenge of not having access to full-time training programs where players ages 12 + can train for 12-16 hours/week. In addition, these players are supported by a multi- discipline team of coaches who support the player individually and continually monitor and work continuously towards helping to improve ?their individual performance levels. ?

Book a FREE consultation call with me here

https://calendly.com/ianmcclurg/preparetoplaypro