The Surprising Truth About Professional Football that Amateurs Don't Realize...

[@staff.highlights]

This is such an amazing video!! Keeping it so transparent and real. You’ve been an inspiration of ours since before college and now being able to partner with you is such an honor! 🙏🏻

[@RoderickEmanuel-m7d]

Soccer is so better

[@hamidbabaali10]

These are all 100% true. I’ve been playing professionally in Brazil this past year. The average player here doesn’t even make R$3000 (600 usd) it’s insane. A lot of them need part time jobs in the off-season. And while this has been a dream for me, the reality of a pro footballer is not what is shown on TV

[@TheSlimshady00058]

What was your club in Brazil ?

[@sebastienbathard9373]

What level you've played pro in Brazil?

[@TheSlimshady00058]

Are you a non-brazilian player ? Your nick in here sounds arab

[@hamidbabaali10]

@@sebastienbathard9373 in 2019 I played in the campeonato paulista A2 and this year campeonato Baiano Serie B

[@strivemore]

@@hamidbabaali10 Is that 6th and 7th division in Brazil?

[@gregthesuperninjaturtle450]

I played a charity match with some ex english championship players, their head was constantly looking around, great first touch, simple passing and always in the right position. It taught me loads and was a brilliant learning experience

[@followhim.8543]

If you died TODAY, where would you be spending eternity? Have all your sins been forgiven or are you still hoping that you're a good enough person to earn a spot in heaven. The reality is that no one can earn a spot, our sin disqualifies us. But the God news is that Jesus paid for our qualification by dying on our behalf taking the punishment that we deserved. JESUS said, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son; that WHOEVER believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16 Nothing is more important than your eternal destination. Please, don't say, "When I get older I'll get right with God' or 'I'll get serious with Jesus one day when I'm ready.' Don't wait any longer, today is the day of salvation. Get right with God today, for tomorrow very well might be too late. We invite you to REPENT and accept that Jesus Christ is Lord of your life by praying this simple prayer out loud right now... 'Heavenly Father, I turn away from my old life and repent for my sins. I believe that Jesus came for me, that Jesus died for me and that Jesus rose again for me so that I can be forgiven and receive eternal life. I believe in my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is the Lord of my life from this day. Through Him and in His Name, receive the gift of eternal life. I ask you to fill me with the Holy Spirit and lead me for the rest of my life. In Jesus name - Amen. 🎉🎉🎉

[@tonydamiani8029]

Scanning is the one thing that separates levels of players. There is a direct correlation between level and number of scans per game.

[@finnblower7075]

@@tonydamiani8029 i saw somewhere that Leo messi scans 2.5 times more than the general pl footballer.....just backs up this point even more

[@ek6352]

And they are championship players! People use that as an insult in the pl, championship level player😅😅

[@Jon14722]

Good stuff mate

[@liviodinaj6105]

when I played with Juve at 14-15 (I was the worst, in the bottom but I was there) Giorgio Chiellini came to speak to us kids. He was so humble, vs we expected some super high level intense superhero guy. He told us that its all training, and sacrifices: like missing out on a night out of pizza and beer with friends because of training the next morning. I got my shoes signed by him, and to this day, I will never forget his words, and his calm, humble, yet immensely grounded and powerful energy. Grazie Giorgione, and thank you for the video

[@Andrew-gu8uw]

Yo random comment but you have the most interesting KZbin page Wrestling, Minecraft, juve academy player What a resume😅

[@liviodinaj6105]

thank you good sir! minecraft? oh boy what did I do wrong :D its probably the modding and gaming for Total War@@Andrew-gu8uw

[@EmergingEcho]

Chiellini is an absolute legend

[@pointlesspublishing5351]

He gave you and your peers the best advice.

[@imperatormouse2735]

@@Andrew-gu8uw That's the advice he got from Chellini whe he saw him playin: Dude, you better go and throw some folks thru the ring and if that doesn't fly, play Minecraft. Done deal.

[@clarkeonenil3252]

I never played at pro level or anything like it, but when we occasionally got drawn in the cup against a team from a higher level, yeah, speed was the difference, not 60m sprinting speed, just the speed at which things happen, speed of thought. And the teams I'm talking about would be 20 levels below the very highest pro level. You watch a top game on tv and you don't quite get the speed, because everyone's at the level so it looks normal, but if you ever get yourself a seat near the touchline at a pro game, where you're close enough to nearly smell it, the pace of play is bewildering, and it's relentless, and a player who is off that pace will stick out like a sore thumb.

[@sabirelk]

True bro

[@pendafen7405]

Hmm. Makes you wonder what someone with that kind of processing speed would be like in bed...

[@clarkeonenil3252]

@@pendafen7405 Hmm.

[@DenUitvreter]

As a former very mediocre amateur player from a football country with high density through the leagues this part of the video wasn't that eye-opening to me either. You play against a higher amateur level once, they move a bit more explosive, jump a little higher, pass a bit harder and more precise, react quicker, are a bit smarter and all togehter the difference is huge, and then that gets mulitplied by their team play. On top of that you run into some special fysiques at even that higher level, I'm tall and quite strong, but some players you just bounce off, and it hurts. Nothing special or mean, no foul, just the contact side of the contact sport, but some feel like they are cyborgs. I also had a Messi experience once. A short guy with quick feet and adequate dribble technique, he could do two steps or have two touches in the time I could do one. Then there is simply nothing you can do because you will always be too late. I fully agree with watching a professional game, at ground level. Look at your own match on video once, is so embarassingly slow, like watchin a slow motion. It's probably not done a lot because watching yourself play is really bad for confidence when you are used to watching the pros on tv.

[@eugenymalo8704]

I think what you're referring to is called quickness. Speed is the physucal ability to go fast while quickness is the mental ability to make decisions fast. For example in the sport of boxing, somebody who has quickness of mind is usually better than somebody who can throw fast punches. Obviously being quick and fast is optimal but at the highest level almost all players are fast, what sets you apart is your quickness. In basketball for instance, we have Luka Doncic and Joker who are slower in their positions than the majority of the other NBA players but their quickness when it comes to making decisions is unparallel.

[@pendafen7405]

Am not a Man City fan myself, but I remember hearing someone (a coach perhaps?) remarking of Phil Foden that he never sees Foden without a ball at his feet, even outside of training or in downtime--always kicking around hotel corridors and in his garden at home, rather than playing COD or bingeing Netflix or what have you. To the point it annoys and confuses other footballers around him. That gave me pause and made me realise the singlemindedness it takes to stay in a top side.

[@kono5933]

I have only played sport at a trash level but I played with someone who went on to be D2 NCAA and in free time as an adult played with some people who were about semi pro level but chose not to pursue sports because it's a bad life choice for them (lack of pay and job security, many have a family) even then let me tell you as soon as I stopped playing like 6 hours a day I became mediocre so shockingly fast going up only a few levels. I eventually stopped because I realised if I had any other passions competing in my brain, if I wanted it any less than these other guys, many of whom were more naturally/physically gifted than me, then there's hardly a chance to even reach the SEMI pros. It feels obvious in hindsight with how many people want to be pro but how few people want to watch like 6th tier regional level local sports.

[@johnashton4086]

When I was a kid all boys of my age carried a tennis or small plastic ball. We played football morning, noon and night in playground and street and practised incessantly against walls, bushes and kerbs. The emphasis was on skill especially dribbling. We were the clay in which the diamonds were found. There were tens of players that had trials and careers with English and Scottish 1st division professional sides from my small area. It produced and/or nurtured Jim Baxter, Ian Porterfield, the Callaghan brothers, Alex Edwards, John Lunn, Bert Paton, Alex Smith, Jackie Sinclair and many others including one Sir Alex Ferguson. Scottish football then....

[@Jon14722]

Indeed mate @@kono5933

[@gsquared2394]

It has been postulated that to become an elite athlete, one must be gifted with elite genetics for coordination, power, and explosiveness, and this must be combined with obsessive compulsive disorder.

[@after_midnight9592]

That's the recipe for any success. Same thing with musicians, you have to "play till your fingers bleed". Then people say oh, he's so talented, while missing 1000s of hours of practice.

[@howardwayne5982]

"the worst day out on the field is still better than the best day in an office." i feel attacked. 😭

[@alfonsstekebrugge8049]

It's sheer ignorance. He's just some layabout who can kick a ball better than most. He doesn't understand what office work is like.

[@kingcuckoo]

@@alfonsstekebrugge8049 to him its probably true though

[@Mynamegeoph]

​@@alfonsstekebrugge8049 you sound hurt bro, it's okay

[@32zim32]

We also have professional office guys. They drink coffee at a very high pace. They know how much seconds left till the launch at enormous precision. So don't give up. You always can become better

[@alfonsstekebrugge8049]

@@Mynamegeoph Contrary. I suppose you didn't comprehend what I said.

[@johnclark1925]

I’m a season ticket holder at Liverpool and my season ticket is in an excellent position but one day I let a friend have my ticket and I took a cheaper ticket at pitch level. What a scary experience the pace that ball moved at wow… if one makes a mistake in possession, let it just bounce away from you by half a foot then you have lost it!Within two seconds the balls on the other side of the pitch. There’s no way you can compensate or rectify an error. One thing you didn’t mention was the physicality and aggression. We are not talking Sunday league aggression, but the sheer physicality of very fit, physically strong people out there and they knew exactly how to use their body shape and weight like martial artists to unbalance, lever or otherwise fight for the right to play. Thank you for the video. And if it’s worth anything, I like a good strong European style, hard-working defender and I like nothing more than seeing a ticky-tacky getting booted up in the air. Keep going stay injury free. Best of luck young man. Liked and sub’d.

[@strayaDaz]

that last one 🤣😂🤣. You mentioned some very important features which is so overlooked

[@m2coy]

ynwa

[@Gebetino]

Spot on in everything you said

[@GRMDGRM]

Es mi sueño de toda la vida poder ir a ver un partido del Liverpool o Manchester, en primera fila!. Que buena experiencia!

[@mackemforever]

The politics is so often ignored. When I was a kid I was a good goalkeeper, I was in the Academy for a club who were in the second tier of English football at the time and was routinely playing 1 or 2 age groups above my own. However my parents were very keen on me not getting carried away and stressed the importance of education, so I worked hard at school and got good grades the whole time, because I understood that there had to be a backup plan. When I was about to turn 18 the club started talking about offering me a professional contract. My intention was to study for a Computer Science degree with the Open University (for non-brits, the OU is an online/remote University where you can study part-time for a full degree), during my spare time. The club refused to allow this. They literally wanted to write a clause in to the contract that would prevent me from undertaking any higher education. Their argument was that they wanted young players to be completely dedicated to football, and wanting to study in my own free time showed I wasn't willing to show the level of dedication required. Multiple other clubs I spoke to had the exact same attitude. Ended up signing a contract with a club in the third tier who did allow me to pursue education in my spare time, and it's a good thing I did because 2 years later I was out of the game completely. A couple of fairly serious injuries, as well as simply running out of talent, meant my contract wasn't extended. The only clubs who had any interest in me were in the lowest tier of the professional game in England, and one club in the second tier of Icelandic football, and so I chose to stop playing. The politics of the professional game are vile, and do so much harm to youngsters trying to break in to the sport.

[@ComradeOgilvy1984]

Watching this video he mentioned the free time. I was thinking surely some could be spending 90-120 minutes a day learning something in an online course. Apparently, the young players are selected for not having that go-getter mindset. "Politics" is not exactly the word. What is going on is the young player is getting bullied into promising to be compliant to and reliant on the club. When you take a step back, it looks quite similar to how abusers treat their victims in abusive relationships -- "I love you so much, but if you do not do exactly what I say, when and where I say it, I will become angry and it will be your fault". Abusers do not like their victims to learn and grow in ways that may allow them to get a good job no longer under their thumb. Abusers want you to always stay afraid of how screwed you would be without them.

[@nerychristian]

I think that's why the best players came from poor countries, or poor homes where the parents didn't really push their kids to study. Those kids grew up in poverty, and they soccer as the only way to get out of the slums.

[@Holamayan]

That's why you should never have told them anything about what you want aside of football. I've been in U19 squads of 1st division teams in my country and the staff were positively orwellian, micromanaging our lives down to our facebook profiles lol. Not to mention the anti-intellectual attitude in general - read a book in front of others and you were sure to be made fun of. Anyway the best tactic in such cases is to pretend you're a dumb banal person with nothing going on outside of football and save yourself the headache.

[@nerychristian]

@@Holamayan True. I doubt they can keep you from taking college courses online

[@NONO-hz4vo]

At least in England you have better salary options. I know really talented kids in the USA that get to about 16-18 and stop really pursuing the career because the dedication required is nearly all your life and the payoff of being in the MLS isn't that great. Even if you knew you would make it to a starting position and get paid the league average it isn't a great career. You are not going to be able to retire even if you remain there for 5-7 years which is a pretty long time. After you are done at that level you are now unemployed without a college degree and zero work experience unless you stay in the sports world. Most of them play into college because they have the natural skill to do so without having to give their whole life to the sport and then go on to have a normal job. I think USA soccer would get a lot more quality players if they had opportunities closer to what the other major sports offer.

[@cavannaro1]

My six a side team has recently had an ex-premiership player playing for us. We’re awful, but needless to say he’s outstanding. His speed, footwork and dribbling are a sight to see. Since he’s joined us though, we’re playing like crap. No one tracks back, we have no shape, and we don’t play like a team anymore. We just rely on this fella. That said, it’s an honour to be able to play with a guy like that and he’s a lovely, humble bloke.

[@Jon14722]

Good stuff mate

[@yunbha4418]

Who is he?

[@HesAPooka]

Played in Europe. The difference between the div 2/1 and 3/4 is massive. Players are bigger, more skilled, and not sure if this was listed as I didn't watch this whole video but "calm". Being calm on the ball is important. The 3rd div play can do what the 2nd div player does but the 2nd div player will do in a calm manner with a better first touch and will make better choices.

[@eamano8474]

I don't think the bigger part is really true. The lower divisions usually have the bigger guys because its more direct with more aerial play. Not so much nowadays but its still there. I mean alot more players I the premier say are more athletic especially the defenders but the best are still the naturally gifted guys where size doesn't matter. I mean just look at the best players on each team are not the biggest strongest and fastest. Like foden, palmer, vini junior, pedri, saka, bernardo silva, maddison to name a few

[@Frosty1979]

Played football at the highest youth level in Germany in the 90th, but for a small club. When playing the professional clubs the biggest difference for me was that their players would do tactically fouls. We were quite naive in comparison and generally tried to play fair, while they usually used every trick possible to get an advantage.

[@chrisb9377]

Commenting so I get an update in 4 years. Good luck m8!

[@tiruliru]

I once played with an ex pro who quit because he prefered to put his chips on education. It was an eye opening and humbling experience. The guy was so more efficient in EVERYTHING and he was always ahead of everyone. His kicks and passes even sounded different while everything he did seemed natural. Living in Brazil, we have a huge inequality so you often see people from middle and upper classes do well but eventually quitting because they prefer the certainty of a good paying job. While poorer kids will give all they have to try and be successful. I was raised in the middle class and mostly played in school and with friends of the same social class. This dude I played became a dentist and 2 friends of mine who actually went well in trials quit because or early injuries. One of them quitting because of a serious knee injury had him starting on the classical guitar and becoming a virtuoso.

[@mr.guzwee7695]

Life. They all harnessed their talent before switching to more lucrative and fulfilling careers

[@gutika113]

Played a few seasons in the USL between 2012 and 2017 - agree with all of these but the boredom aspect was INTENSE for me, even as a somewhat introvert. I had never realized how much I relied on my close friends & family, then I signed my first contract and overnight I was literally alone for 90% of the my day. It eats some guys up, mentally, to the point where it affects their ability to play the game. I was lucky and got walked into a big youth club that let me coach and grow in that direction. Kept me busy and gave me some much needed added cash

[@ghabhimoz8560]

One thing I like about Matt is his level of integrity! I LOVE the fact that you could (as a content creator) self-promote or project a particular storyline, but you choose to always provide information or entertainment in a PURELY CANDID EXPRESSION. I'm sharing this video because I know kids who wanna go pro and I think this video is a very honest peek into the adventure and the future they think they want. I wish you more life brother!!!

[@stevenbeck5746]

Makes Jamie Vardy's story more impressive. Sheffield Wednesday youth system and released at 16 years of age. Went to work a normal job and played with the Stocksbridge Park Steels on weekends. I vaguely remember in a documentary that Vardy was released because of his size (too small). The one thing he had going for him was his speed. I guess he picked up on the speed of play with Halifac Town and Fleetwood Town.

[@JT-rx1eo]

Its changing, but the English football culture was very crude and manifested in the inaccurate valuation of size. It's almost as if the tie between association football and rugby, or vestiges thereof, persisted far too long.

[@luizmatte4345]

​@@JT-rx1eoEnglish? I'm Brazilian and literally have two close friends (and a few other acquaintances) that were released from youth teams for being small. One of them went to play in a portuguese speaking african country (don't remember which) professionally, it wasn't like they were shit or something.

[@JT-rx1eo]

@@luizmatte4345 Yes its pervasive around the world but historically worse in England. And it's a nonsensical assumption to a great degree. Pele, Messi, etc. etc. Wanna see filtering based on size because it DOES matter? Come over here to the USA and look at American football and basketball.

[@ditokelio7860]

​@@JT-rx1eosize does matter, of course small guys can be the best but they have to be much better and also have many less positions they can play. Lots of great defenders are failed mids/attackers. Defenders and GKs are almost all bigger than average. It helps for defending corners and other Arial duals, also usually means you are stronger and can use your body more. In lower leagues being small is extremely hard to grow in, if you are using your acceleration/agility/speed properly you will get fouled and kicked 10s of times every game. In the top leagues they will give a foul but lower leagues they tell you to play on. That's another reason they don't like smaller players, more chance for injury.

[@SiddarthaTB]

@@JT-rx1eo It doesn't matter in Football unless you are a goalkeeper. Hell Messi wouldn't be as good if he was tall because the center of gravity being lower for short people makes them able to move horizontally easier. Ofc it makes sense in Basketball to be tall but in football it hurts talents because most talented mfs in football were short to begin with as they used that to their strength.

[@Tije.O]

I've played a few times with people that shortly were professional players (Eredivisie, 3d string guys as you call them, bench players) and they were indeed far ahead of everyone else here: more speed and consistency, far better positioning and precise passing. Spectacular to play with. Make a good run and you know you will get the ball. I'm a terrible soccer player btw, but I love the game. Jaap Stam comes from around here. I heard of guys that played him when he was retired and he joined a sunday league team for a while. He was ridiculously good. He was never hailed (and often critised) for his passing in the Netherlands and seen as just a very good defender, but once you see it up close, it was impossible to get past him as an attacker and he would put out pixel-perfect cross-passes across the entire field without any effort at all. That makes me wonder how good of a passer Frank the Boer or Van Bronckhorst (considered as great passers) is. What you said: at the top level they are all extremely good. And the best players (Messi, Zidane, Mbappe, Modric, Van Basten, Cruijf, Bergkamp, etc.) are out of this world.

[@JSelectaShizzle]

I know your comment is 5 months old now, but I used to wonder about the exact same thing. The guy you described can do perfect passes in Sunday League because he has more time and space to pass and maybe nobody putting a body or pressure on him. I used to wonder what these guys practice when crosses in the professional top league game would connect with noting.

[@ahmedm7292]

Prior to the pandemic, I participated in a trial. In my mind, I truly felt like a professional already. I was astonished by the limited autonomy players had, as it primarily involved adhering to instructions and patterns, repeatedly executing simple tasks. It felt like clockwork-every 5 to 6 seconds, all heads turned towards the coach, who relentlessly bombarded us with instructions, leading to a state of overwhelming overload.

[@Jon14722]

Nice mate

[@Miuranger1]

Thanks for sharing it with us

[@OJFootballX]

Incredible video Matt and I couldn’t agree more with many of your points! I found it particularly interesting when you talked about the “Winning vs Development”, because I feel like a lot of young amateur players want to train like professional footballers, when the goals of these two are completely different and therefore the training should be adapted accordingly 🤔⚽️

[@nbayern7000]

True Oskar, we have the Swedish Matt Sheldon up and coming haha

[@OJFootballX]

@@nbayern7000 haha mate don’t compare me to the OG 😂

[@OJFootballX]

⁠@ivorywestcoast thanks mate, truly appreciate that! ❤️

[@sasquatchrosefarts]

Don't kid yourself. At the pro level a lot of players get minutes with their mouths and rears. That's why they wear rainbows. Yes, a big standout will avoid this, but if you want minutes and you aren't a standout you bend over and kneel for it.

[@justtestingonce]

@@sasquatchrosefartsI see you speaking from personal experience.😂

[@dellamonte387]

💯💯💯💯💯 Matt. Most amateurs or people think a pro must dribble past 5 or more or use speed and shoot brilliantly. They forget mastering the intensity of basics and game situation

[@ds37]

Thanks for sharing your valuable insight about the ups and also the lows of a pro football player. The psychological aspects of being a pro athlete are always overlooked because oh well they make money running after a ball, jumping high, throwing a ball, etcetera. I always dreamt about being a pro football player but at youth level where I live it was so competitive, that at 15 years of age I realized that I would never happen and it crushed me. I quit football to focus on studies and got to a PhD level. Now 20 years after coming to terms with that sudden realization, I still love playing football so much. It's just with an amateur side but it's like I'm a 10 years old kid again.

[@The_Jazziest_Coffee]

i think that's a really healthy way of doing all of this being able to make the most of your hobby, without it ruining your life via an unsustainable job or becoming a chore for you that's kind of what i'm aiming for with my own instrumental hobbies in the future

[@NONO-hz4vo]

I was watching a less talented U15 play soccer and they were laughing and enjoying the sport. Next to them was an older U17 team that was more talented but you could tell the simple joy of the game was replaced with purpose and drive. I know a lot of people enjoy that but it really isn't same as the joy of just playing the game. A sad reality that to really reach the elite level the game becomes a job, even if it is a very rewarding one.

[@danielowens2013]

15 is too young to be determined. You have to commit hours a day. It is possible to go from never touched a ball to the highest level in 10 years.

[@LNLBD]

This is what impresses me about Messi so much. During his career he made all of those top, top professionals, literally the best out of the best in the whole world, the top 0.001%, to look like an absolute amateurs. His level of performance is insane, impossible.

[@ghostazov8633]

Porque los latinos estamos construidos diferente

[@o-lw6zf]

@@ghostazov8633he ain’t Latino

[@harrydes23]

I'm currently playing in step 4 of the English league system and just turned 23. I will be a professional footballer by the age of 26. I played with a player called Danny newton who was signed at 26 for stevenage. If he can do it why cant i. I dont care about all the other factors i will be a professional footballer. In four years ill come back to this comment and i will be a professional footballer and thats a god damn certain. Ill see you in four years when I'm a professional footballer.

[@meanmachine6173]

what do you mean by step 4? Do you mean League 2? If so arent you already top .001%?

[@strivemore]

@@meanmachine6173 Step 4 if I understand, is level 8 on the pyramid isnt it?

[@harrydes23]

no I'm in non league it goes step 4 step 3 north south conference and then conference then league 2 but lots of clubs pick up players from our level or send them to us on loan. to put it into perspective vardy was picked up at 25 from the league above us@@meanmachine6173

[@meanmachine6173]

@@strivemore I thought step 1 is prem, then championship, League 1 then league 2 being step 4.

[@strivemore]

@@meanmachine6173 I think its step 1, because its 1 step to professional, and they say 5th division is pro now, so might even be lower than 8, and step 4 could be division 9. But, thats what I think, I could be wrong though im not from England.

[@pwerplazlol725]

As a former semi pro, I can confirm all of this is true. I just couldn’t deal with the pressure of constantly having to worry about performing at the highest level and getting threatened to be relegated to the bench whenever my performance dips as well as figuring out where I’m gonna play next season and dealing with the low average salary. This is why I ultimately gave up and switched to do sth else because I realised it was not what I wanted out of my life

[@nazimhassan24]

Some time we don't get what we wanted in our life this is the truth we have to accept.

[@mr.guzwee7695]

Well said. Great choice

[@dark_nightwing_xl2797]

Honest take

[@dark_nightwing_xl2797]

@@nazimhassan24facts

[@XGoken]

As someone who hasn’t event smelled a chance at playing for years, unable to even make a semi pro team and yet wanted to go and have success at being pro, this really makes the mountain extend to outer space, I have no idea how I’m going to continue from here on

[@matthewmangus6929]

9:05 Love how he says eat the right way as he's going through a box of oreos haha

[@tobiasrinnert5044]

Its intersting to me that the first thing he discribed is actually how it feels like to play in europe in your youth. One touch football is practice all the time. And for two touches, you learn to control the ball with your weak foot and do so so that the ball lands in such a way that your body shields it. Then you pass the ball on in one touch. Thats how we train in germany not even at a good team, its just how we train and how we should play.

[@hatlicks18]

The youth club I coach for has a few retired EFL players and we have a coaches match several times a years. It was eye opening. I was good, but never played with the best before. I could keep up mentally but physically I was just always a half second away from being able to get a clean shot off, or finding a perfect passing corridor. I was able to make an impact, but it was humbling.

[@coloradolions3399]

This is your best video yet, Matt. I played in the PDL many years ago and didn't realize how prominent of a role politics played in the opportunities available. You've explained how so many factors go into moving to that next level - and many of them have nothing to do with you as a player. This is an important topic that is often ignored and can be detrimental to a player's mental health. Success should happen at the intersection where skill meets opportunity, but not always. Just have to work hard, enjoy the moment, and take what you can. Great video!

[@followhim.8543]

If you died TODAY, where would you be spending eternity? Have all your sins been forgiven or are you still hoping that you're a good enough person to earn a spot in heaven. The reality is that no one can earn a spot, our sin disqualifies us. But the God news is that Jesus paid for our qualification by dying on our behalf taking the punishment that we deserved. JESUS said, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son; that WHOEVER believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16 Nothing is more important than your eternal destination. Please, don't say, "When I get older I'll get right with God' or 'I'll get serious with Jesus one day when I'm ready.' Don't wait any longer, today is the day of salvation. Get right with God today, for tomorrow very well might be too late. We invite you to REPENT and accept that Jesus Christ is Lord of your life by praying this simple prayer out loud right now... 'Heavenly Father, I turn away from my old life and repent for my sins. I believe that Jesus came for me, that Jesus died for me and that Jesus rose again for me so that I can be forgiven and receive eternal life. I believe in my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is the Lord of my life from this day. Through Him and in His Name, receive the gift of eternal life. I ask you to fill me with the Holy Spirit and lead me for the rest of my life. In Jesus name - Amen. 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@NONO-hz4vo]

The PDL is very political and I have seen a lot of good players from smaller clubs get passed on for kids who's parents knew people. The truly exceptional normally shine through but there are a lot of kids who play a game that doesn't show up on highlight videos that never get a chance because the developmental system in US soccer is not good.

[@coloradolions3399]

@NONO-hz4vo You're absolutely correct. I understand there are often too many players to be truly considered, but it's deflating to show up at an open tryout and be put in the "other" game with the guys you know aren't going to make it, right off the bat. The first field usually is all guys from a certain group (local colleges, travel clubs, etc.) coaches standing around, the 2nd/3rd fields are reserved for the "fundraisers" - guys who paid to tryout but who were never going to be considered, despite their skill level. It's a flaw in the system, but could often be overlooked up with money spent (personal training sessions with coaches, equipment donations, etc.) at the previous youth levels. As the old saying goes, "It's all about who you know"

[@NONO-hz4vo]

@coloradolions3399 that is exactly what I saw too. I feel bad for the kids that really were good and had put so much effort in.

[@Dezzasheep]

I remember as a youth, I played against a semi-pro (lower non-league UK team) player in a local charity match. He was immense, no one could touch him. This same player would be lost in the professional football leagues. The chasm of ability in the football world is mind blowing.

[@abiolaolayinka2023]

This is absolutely incredible mate. I'm a fan of the game and it's so nice to get a behind-the-scenes real talk light on football, from the ground up.

[@sabirelk]

true bro

[@SoccerinMN]

Great video as always. I got goosebumps at the end! I was a very average club footballer in Ireland but hitting the onion sack in a farmers field on a Sunday morning felt like I was in heaven, so doing it as a pro must be unreal.

[@emmetwalker2995]

Once saw Richard Dunne playing 5 a aside on the pitch beside me during his off season. He didn't leave the centre circle. Everything went through him and no one could even get close to him. He was so far ahead of everyone else on the pitch that it was extraordinary to watch. I personally played against professional players before. They are multiple levels ahead of even the best amateurs. Their reading of the game, their first touch and their anticipation means that they are leaving non-pros in the dust.

[@Hadar1991]

You know, Richard Dunne carried Manchester City defence for years before the Abu Dhabi money came. Manchester City F.C. Player of the Year: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008; he may play just in a middle of the table club, but still, he was responsible of a Premier League club defence not to crumble when Ronaldo, Torres, Henry etc wanted to humiliate you. :p

[@KevinSheedy10]

Made his debut for Everton aged 16 as a centre back and did very well. Very underrated player.

[@h.m.7218]

Interesting. About the day of european professional football players, it has to be said that many of them if not all are required to take a nap after lunch. And when you're young, it's quite difficult to get used to it : you don't feel like sleeping after lunch... But when you realize that all the best players actually do it, you start to comply and then discover that the human body actually does have a sleep train at about this very hour of the day. Then, having a wife and family is very much appreciated by staff because it helps in the day to day life focusing unto responsabilities, including those related to game preparation. Maturity stuff.

[@NobodyNowhere888]

Too much sleep has been linked to dementia. In fact, professional footballers are amongst the most likely of the global population to acquire dementia in later stages of life from simply heading a ball over and over again.

[@neandertalero]

Thing I’ve always wondered myself: with all that free time, do players spend additional time trying to improve/develop individually? Watching video of your performance and of rivals (systematically, not casually)? Personal trainers looking into the details of your game, what to work on, why you performed well/badly last game (specific details: positioning, rival leftie or rightie, etc etc)? Great video btw. I’ve played with many professionals and I had the exact same experience you describe (pace, simplicity, etc.)

[@followhim.8543]

If you died TODAY, where would you be spending eternity? Have all your sins been forgiven or are you still hoping that you're a good enough person to earn a spot in heaven. The reality is that no one can earn a spot, our sin disqualifies us. But the God news is that Jesus paid for our qualification by dying on our behalf taking the punishment that we deserved. JESUS said, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son; that WHOEVER believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16 Nothing is more important than your eternal destination. Please, don't say, "When I get older I'll get right with God' or 'I'll get serious with Jesus one day when I'm ready.' Don't wait any longer, today is the day of salvation. Get right with God today, for tomorrow very well might be too late. We invite you to REPENT and accept that Jesus Christ is Lord of your life by praying this simple prayer out loud right now... 'Heavenly Father, I turn away from my old life and repent for my sins. I believe that Jesus came for me, that Jesus died for me and that Jesus rose again for me so that I can be forgiven and receive eternal life. I believe in my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is the Lord of my life from this day. Through Him and in His Name, receive the gift of eternal life. I ask you to fill me with the Holy Spirit and lead me for the rest of my life. In Jesus name - Amen. 🎉🎉🎉

[@rustinjarrell2717]

Yes, they should use that free time to work on their individual skills, but many don't. They settle for mediocrity, but they risk getting benched or cut from the team entirely. Young players risk never making it to the pros at all. It's been said a thousand times already but look at Cristiano Ronaldo. He trains in his free time, perfecting his skills.

[@toskiemail1371]

In other sports like football and baseball, players spend a lot of their time watching film and reading scouting reports. I wonder if it's the same for soccer players.

[@harishnetam502]

I don't think they do maybe some basic training but not intense training since it can causes injuries which will not only hamper your career but also highly disliked by the coaches

[@takebbcordier4602]

With our club, former pro players are some of our coaches, even a national team coach. At Magnus FC, we’ve shared this video with our players. Good truths! 👍👍

[@kranmaster]

2:03 there it is. One may possess all the technical and creative wizardry in the world, but the most important ability to develop is being able to read the moment and knowing when to employ that wizardry.

[@jas_bataille]

As a musician who turned pro recently - not full time yet - this is very similar to my experience. The simplicity, the level of rehearsing, the tiny details making a major difference, your attitude and how you support the artist or the band is so important, and the fact that most people who are great amateurs are simply not cut out to be pros - and that's NOT a judgement. The sacrifices are insane. Only become pro in anything that's purely passion driven IF you cannot live without doing it SO MUCH that you HAVE to get paid to do it. Period. Otherwise, you won't achieve it and will be miserable. You do NOT need to get paid to achieve happiness and success in your passion, be it football, music, motorsport, cooking or anything else! Most pros in any such field, just like me, had a terrible childhood and grew up to be made great from an early age, and left to defeat that pressure-induced trauma doing what we love and reconciling with it. I don't blame people for quitting. I starved 3 straights months. I injured myself. As a drummer, I can burn up to 1700 calories in 3 hours which is roughly equivalent to the average pro footballer, too! Pretty crazy. I'm not on that level yet as concert length increase as you go up the ladder. But being a pro in any passion field, is insane. It's being in the top 2% of most successful people on the planet. So I don't care that I don't get paid a lot right now. I'm PROUD!!!!

[@armstrongngouan2701]

Amazing video! Out here in Spain for a trial, and I'm currently seeing the difference between local ballers, and First Divison Academy Club. The difference is real.

[@stevegithinji8347]

It's amazing how similar the experiences are for soccer players (and sports people I guess). No wonder the game brings so many people together. I was just going to watch like the first 2 mins of this video but now ended up Subscribing to the channel. With every line I kept thinking "this is really what it is. It is what I experienced. This guy has just done my video" Could have really used Stafford when I sent my highlight video to Liberty University. Oh and that bit about how fast and simple the game is at the highest level... Mindblowing!

[@josephrice29]

It is interesting. I met Michael Parkhurst one time. He played for Atlanta United. He said the hardest thing about being a professional soccer player is staying self-motivated in the off-season to get your body ready for the season, when you don't have the money to pay for the best personal trainers and nutritionists, as you would if you were in a sport that pays millions of dollars. At the college level, he said much of the preparation is done collectively in the off-season as a team, but as a professional, you are responsible for doing all of that on your own... where is it used to be you would use training camp to get in shape, now you're expected to be in shape when you get there

[@richardbeal2451]

A brilliant video! I've always been fascinated by the transition journey from enthusiastic amateur to full-on professional. This video gave me a real insight. Thanks!

[@maxwellsdemon10]

The way you described playing with pros pretty much maps exactly onto my experience with pros in Kickboxing/Muay Thai. The difference isn't that these guys are so much faster, stronger and more enduring as good amateurs (although they certainly are better conditioned). It's just that they see stuff and don't think about stuff, that you as a non-pro just have to actively think about. I didn't feel like the individual steps where something I was unable to do. A simple jab, cross high kick combo, but just the positioning, the timing, the knowledge how the opponent reacts and the speed with which they were chained together was just on a different level. It just seemed like they had more time...

[@tombladon8064]

the fourth point is so brilliantly described by the TIFO video why do 50% of transfers fail. The amount of things that have to go right for a player to be deemed a success is surprising.

[@Uzodesign]

This helps put into perspective just how good Messi and Ronaldo are. To always be that good while balancing the rest of their lives.

[@NONO-hz4vo]

Yeah this video isn't relevant to those players. People like them and Rooney who are so sky high above even the best players in the world have an entirely different reality. I mention Rooney because at 16 he was playing EPL and then afterwards going out and playing with his mates, just a kid having fun.

[@gdesouza6264]

I remember my first Semi-Pro trail… I went through such an emotional roller coaster and I questioned if I’ve ever played the sport! The coach said that he knows my talent because he has seen me play and dominate in my position. Then suggested that I play defense LB/RB and that was the position that I signed on for despite playing RW/LW my entire career.

[@moonbaby6134]

I was in the RAF and in the early 90’s we played a friendly against Doncaster Rovers. As a team we were extremely fit guys and we had a couple of RAF PT Instructors play and train us. We won the friendly 3-2 but this was at the beginning of their season and we had played about 7 or 8 games already. We played another game about 2 or 3 weeks later and they destroyed us. It was something crazy like 3 or 4 nil and it was possibly the hardest I’ve ever worked on a pitch. And these guys were in the fourth tier of English football. Two great games but a real eye opener on how good even fourth tier players are.

[@jahirpinzoncho5295]

Awesome video. I am a volleyball athlete from Panama and could really relate with what you mentioned along the video. Really appreciate you shared your experience.

[@eschiedler]

Always appreaciate a straight-forward insider point-of-view. Thanks for the video.

[@Paufranne]

3:00 As a kid, I wondered why sometimes a 18th-place team beat a regning champion. As I got older, I realised it was an error in perspective. If you illustrate it as a bar graph and only use the 1st league, then the heights of the bars in the above example are 20 vs 2 (a ratio of 10 to 1). 'How could they lose?' But when you add all the professional teams in leagues below, let's say 60 more teams, the ratio is suddenly 80 to 62 (1.3 to 1). Still, the champion should win but the opposing team is not that hopeless anymore.

[@NONO-hz4vo]

Also any game where results average only ~2.5pts per game it is not unlikely the lesser team will win.

[@juhojarvinen1999]

I used to play pro hockey and I can relate to so many things what you listed here. I think its important for people to understand both sides of pro sports. Nice video!

[@Al3x-s9c]

Thanks, it shows a very different side to the whole “sunshine and rainbows” that is portrayed normally. But hey like you said at the end, it’s still an incredible career to have.

[@aggtony]

I didn't expect to learn much from this but your truths were very compelling. Your point about being "good enough" but being recruited to a team that is not suited to your qualities was very telling. The professionalism in players is not always reciprocated by professionalism from coaches. I look forward to your take on that. Great production values- nice presentation style and a World Class insight into the life of a professional footballer. Really well done!

[@naughtybynature999]

a few things i'm hearing from this video relevant to young players, or like me a dad who's begin to train his kids: on top of the physical and technical upkeep, mental aspect of the game is really important, they need to think 3-4 steps ahead. Also while focusing on player development at a young age, better to not be pigeon-holed to a certain style of play and instead be adaptable to different coaching styles.

[@d7ekm3arassek30]

Thank you for lighting up the road for us and show the difficulties that waits us

[@mamba101]

An interesting thing that stood out to me is how many parallels there is between professional football (and sport I suppose) and pro gaming, especially when it comes to how pros are on another level when it comes to understanding the game and make things look ‘simple’

[@hagostaeldmann]

Played r6 siege at the semi pro level and very briefly coach professionally. I wish every aspiring reports player could see this video because literallynevery single thing applies in my experience

[@jamesfarley5771]

Please Matt make a video explaining your career and how you made it pro to inspire me and other footballers

[@sabirelk]

Thanks for the incredible insight and i agree with everything you say, hopefully you can make more of these video’s because me and other young players can learn a lot from this and will not go crazy when something happens, because we already got warned 😊

[@_ivanalejandro10]

This is so real I played 3rd division usl1 usl2 and Nisa and now play 3rd div in Spain 🇪🇸 it’s so different the level of play and everything

[@Winkester-yo2ze]

What's the difference between spain and here? I know here in the US physicality and speed is top needed

[@_ivanalejandro10]

@@Winkester-yo2ze in Spain the level of play is higher, it’s way more technical they play from the outside to inside, in the u.s they focus more on power and strength

[@jordanreid5857]

This was very informative and beautifully presented. Love from Jamaica 🇯🇲 ❤

[@Mikey13Morales]

I’ve played at every level ,, and calmness and a relaxed state of mind is key 🔑

[@Do27gg]

That’s why I always find it funny when fans call players ‘rubbish’ or ‘useless’ like getting to be in any professional squad isn’t a massive achievement 😂 Also when fans say ‘he should be focusing on football rather than getting haircuts/gaming/social media’ like they’re meant to train 24/7

[@Gastinochwan]

Matt, I've said it once and I'll say it again, you are extremely underrated in terms of youtube.

[@IanB22]

This video is incredible.... I don't think people realize the GEMS being dropped in this one...THANK you.

[@jonathanwismer6004]

I agree... we all could benefit from some of the elite mindsets that the top have to combat burnout

[@noahshankel]

I relate to what you are saying at 11:00. When I was studying percussion at university it took my a couple years to realizing playing crazy complex music came down to practicing dropping a stick slowly in a very relaxed & controlled manner haha

[@silverfox9267]

German here. Had that experience when I was playing a fun game against a team 2 leauges ahead. Jesus where they fast. I knew sometimes what was going to happen, because as you said, in the end they just play solid 95% of the time, but still I couldn't do shit because I was 1-2 seconds too late.

[@800iq2]

Ngl almost every addition to training I'd make when I day dream of being a coach is basically everything they are already doing. It doesn't translate well on the pitch but seeing videos like this highlights the intensity of pro-football.

[@meshackjasoninderjith2035]

I hope you do talks at high schools or something along those lines; all careers need this run through. Awesome watch buddy!

[@ColorMeMozart]

So grateful for your transparency, it inspires me to always become a better player, even as an amateur older player at 47! ⚽️🙌

[@TheLoco2007]

I played professionally in Mexico for 8 years i had some offers from Europe but i decided to stay in my country.

[@BatkoNashBandera774]

I'm so glad Ben Foster explained all about professional football to the rest of us, much appreciated mate! ::ON EDIT:: okay so I was wrong, Thanks Mr. Sheldon!

[@chl2161]

Great video man, usually football is shown as glitz and glamour all around. It's good to show how grounded and ready to eat shit you have to be. It requires dedication, skill and a fair amount of luck.

[@johnlombardo7816]

Really appreciate you making this video.. well thought out! 👏🏻👊🔥

[@sabirelk]

Facts

[@MichaelsPaintingChannel]

That was so amazing. Extremely interesting. You're a very conscious person. Same in tennis. I was watching some amateures playing tennis and I couldn't believe how fast they played. Now imagine a pro in tennis. You can not understand the right speed on tv. Also very interesting the facts about the training, simple drills, money and free time. Nobody talks about it.

[@jimmoefoe1471]

This was such an amazing insight. Never been seen before on the internet. Great job, brother.

[@zebinho8353]

Awesome video. You touched on some many important things. I made it to semi-pro level. I Wish I saw this video like 18 years ago 😂

[@zlatanmorrison8182]

This reminds me of a video I watched recently about NBA and the gulf in ability between them and 'normal' people. They had some bottom ranked, retired in his 40's ex-NBA guy play against 'good' normal people and he destroyed them all with ease. I believe he said during the video "I am closer to Le Bron than you are to me" and this was a long retired ex-pro. Most only see the money, not realizing that the top pro's in high level sport might as well be a totally different species, they are THAT good compared to normal joe.

[@jontalbot1]

Interesting to me as an older person never involved professionally in the game but even l can can see how the game has transformed in my lifetime. When l was younger quite a lot of players were smokers, did not really bother about training and were far more focussed on drinking and impregnating the impressionable. The modern game is truly global, much faster, better technically and tactically, more competitive, the players bigger, stronger and are genuine athletes. I think also they are on average much more educated. This transfers into a much more focussed learning culture.

[@grorichard1397]

Nice video. Only one thing I got an issue with. Regardings Beckham; it's not "brutal and cutthroat" to be sold to Real Madrid. You're not exactly "gone" when you get sold into a team with Zidane, Figo, Ronaldo Phenomeno etc. 😅

[@Uzodesign]

You still don't get it. He had to leave his country on a short notice to go meet up with new strangers who may or may not like him and you also have to learn the culture and adapt quickly to these new changes. Look at what happened to Hazard after he went to Real. Sometimes those moves derail one's career.

[@Mr.Grimsdale]

@@Uzodesign As a Manchester United fan who watched Beckham play i can tell you now he wanted the move to Real Madrid, there was talk he asked for the move but he was still under contract, he was told that he couldn't, in the last 5 or 6 games for United he didn't want to play, it was like he was just playing as a gesture, he got his move in the end and good riddance, the club help make him one of the best players at that time, showed no loyalty in return.

[@Uzodesign]

@Mr.Grimsdale Please shut up about loyalty. Clubs discard players all the time. It's a job. It's you fans who are emotionally invested and want a romantic loyalty. Players decide at some point It's time to move on either for $$$$$$$$$ or a new challenge.

[@Mr.Grimsdale]

@@Uzodesign I've no problem with players wanting to move on for whatever reason but while they are under contract they continue to show loyalty to the club, team-mates and supporters until they leave and not behave like a spoilt brat.

[@heroe1486]

@@Uzodesign Probably an american who knows nothing about football. Loyalty is obviously a thing in football, for some it's more than a job, appreciate it or not.

[@spy_kek7609]

9:00 This is where I think the difference in SOME players is. Most chill relax etc. While some still practice in some ways

[@kentgrady9226]

Regardless of the sport or discipline, the difference between the most elite performers and those whose names are known only to their mothers, is razor thin. I support Celtic - a highly pedigreed club with a proud history. But Celtic is a far cry from truly elite, in a global sense. As dominant and impressive as they are domestically, they don't stand a chance against the true elites. Witness: last season in the Champions League, they played Real Madrid. For 65 minutes, they out-possessed, out-passed, out-shot, out-targeted, and out-cornered a club with ten times the aggregate transfer value - by a considerable margin. But, in that final moment, when the opportunity arrived to bury their chances, that split second of time and few inches of space they didn't have, were too much. In the 65th minute, it was nil-nil. RM counters ruthlessly - first shot on target in the match. 1-nil, Real Madrid. Now, Celtic are chasing the game. Second counter, 2-nil. A third goal in added time makes the full time score 3-nil. Using golf as a supporting example, the difference between the #1 PGA touring pro, and the top guy who failed to qualify, is about 1 stroke per round.

[@johanandhira5429]

Its like game of chess between grandmaster vs regular/semi pro. They have same number of pieces, same number of moves, same time limit, but once the moves has been made, in the end the difference is the ability to exploit opposition's weakness, to smell the blood, to squeeze water out of rocks from each other to the tiniest margin, and to deliver the killing blow to the last guy who makes mistake

[@biomatrix8154]

"You're a USL Championship right back, but you're not our right back". I can feel the gut punch as he says that. Personally I wouldn't be able to handle all those rejections.

[@kymberrywong740]

Just like to let you know that i stumble upon your video and totally like your video format and detail breakdowns of whatsit like to be a proffesional footballer... It is very detail the way you explained it. Keep doing what you are doing and all the best!

[@NathanAmugo]

Best video I’ve watched from your channel Matt 🔥❤️

[@gustavalbericchidurocher9764]

The professional speed of play is the hardest thing to explain to an amateur, because it is actually different from the speed at which players run. The fact that MOST people can't tell saudi football from european (or even north american) highlights this.

[@Arygo87]

Hey there. Here's a tip that you might know already. If you are ever a coach or are in the position of becoming a free-kick taker there's something you have to know: Training just for free kicks is great, but you should train for them in the same conditions as in a match. Translation: - before you hit that training free kick run around, be as tired as you would be in a real 90 minute game - then stop for 20-60 seconds (cause it takes that long sometimes for the wall to be set-up and players sometimes flare-up, yellow cards get thrown, etc) - then you hit the ball ... - and simulate stakes because it's training and there are no stakes, put something you care about on the line, my suggestion would be a productive one ; if you miss the free kick you force yourself to do a lap or two around the pitch right then (in a match you don't get to fine-tune your strike hitting the ball multiple times with force one after the other, so time in-between is crucial to training) - after every miss -> the lap/laps around the pitch ... before striking the ball try to be in the same head-space you'd be in a crucial match, it's clutch, this free-kick is no joke ... and ask yourself if you did actually wait 20-60 second after the lap/laps before striking the ball (remember the wall doesn't for instantly) - if you could have someone set-up a different ball and wall position after every lap that would be awesome of course * Cheers !

[@blimeyitsRichard]

great video.. often talking (heatedly) in the pub about football and players in particular.. "he's sh*t", one lad might say.. "he's not sh*t", i'll reply, "he's a professional player.. we couldnt lace his boots".. player confidence and, as touched on in the video, a happy life overall is key once you are a professional.. there.. said.. done..

[@pendafen7405]

Not sure about that. This is not an entirely apt comparison, but: speaking as someone who loves to write both for money and for free, I notice plenty of name brand paid authors--some well paid, or overpaid--write terribly, or at least not as well as me or as other writers I know who are considered 'amateur' or hobbyist. There's a certain degree of marketing, politicking/networking and opportunism that determines attainment, and I think it likewise in professional sports.

[@lawrencenjawe9875]

Fantastic video for the eyes of the uninitiated...It answers a lot of questions about the Beautiful Game I've been asking myself for ages...Thanks, Sir....

[@mathewomolo]

I saw the same with pro athletes and rugby players. You really have to watch them training up close to 'get it'

[@Delawiz]

Very true. I can only imagine what it takes to be an All blacks player.They play fast and accurately no one drops the ball.

[@mathewomolo]

@@Delawiz they're in a world of their own. To even be considered for a call up, you'd have to be elite from schoolboy/club level.

[@bernardouken]

that's really good content right there, man. congrats from Brazil 🇧🇷

[@childoftheking9253]

Thank you so much for this video! It’s really helped me understand what to expect about being a pro. I’m in high school now and I want to continue to improve, play in college, and play professionally. I just hope I can achieve this Also….any tips on the best way to improve? I need to find a way to practice by myself ‘cause I don’t really have anyone to help me outside of team practice

[@sabirelk]

Same here

[@gamecrab1015]

a wall is your best friend. that is what i hear many people saying in regards to training alone

[@sabirelk]

@@gamecrab1015 true

[@sagemode1088]

Wayne Rooney used a wall. It will develop your first touch and technique.

[@NONO-hz4vo]

A wall is a good piece but reality is you won't be your best unless someone else is pushing you. The wall isn't a worth opponent. You need to be playing with other high level players who set an unwritten standard. I don't care who you are no one in sport develops to their max without being pushed by others.

[@hayakugin05]

Thank you so much for the insights! Amazing video! Keep up the good work and good luck staying on the grass and being fit to play!

[@Iboster1]

Such good content! Unfortunately KZbin and Instagram is full of "get pro quick" scammers taking advantage of young peoples dreams but I just stumbled on your channel and everything you say is so true and real. I played amateur level in Germany (6th tier) and everything you say is relevant there as well.

[@erikarzensek]

I remember going from amateur to lower tier pros for about 2 months ive argued with myself after every training session if im able to do this 😂

[@enzog1078]

You got it bro

[@zebra7578]

Experienced this at the beginning of the year when I started playing for an academy, and I stopped going after a few sessions. But I've realised in order to grow, you need to be the worst player, you need to be uncomfortable, cuz that's the best position for you to grow. So I'll be going back there in a few days hopefully

[@nunessilva2162]

I've played amateur 11s football with a bunch of ex professionals... I mean ex Benfica, Sporting, Belenenses... National team kind of players, hell I played with Sá Pinto once on a Beach Soccer game, on his hiatus from Real Sociedad I think, after punching the portuguese national coach (lol) and played on the "agressor squad" that trained the very first Portuguese Beach Soccer team and what I can say is that the first time you see those guys play, especially in 11s, you are just struck by lightning and whatch in awe because they (ex professionals in my case) are just off the charts for normal human beings, even those that dedicate themselves as amateurs to the beautifull game. You just absorb the whole thing and learn as much as you can as fast as you can...

[@dihuo6137]

Thanks for the detailed insight

[@UraFlight]

I’m very glad to find discover your channel. I’ve seen how Chelsea players done training. I was very surprised. The training session was much shorter than I predicted.

[@grogery1570]

This reminded me of a person I met who went to a US university on a Baseball scholarship and studied Engineering. He was offered a professional baseball contract but turned it down. I was a little confused, why would he do this? Well as you explain, even if he made it to the "Show" he would probably only make the same money as an experienced Engineer and only for a short time. As an Engineer he would make good money for the next 50 years and not live in fear of being fired, or indeed, never really hired.

[@LPCLASSICAL]

I went from just playing casually now and then to a higher level - guys that regularly play but who are amateurs. I could not get near any of them and was floundering. I also took some bad knocks to my shin several times. So yes up a level to pro must be a stellar level.