Talent Identification: What football scouts look for in football Players

In simple words, football scouts are looking for players that can benefit a specific team or club they work for. They are the building bricks that form a successful starting 11 and team because they have to find the right mix of players to reach success.

However in the modern game, things have changed a lot and so here are the five (5) main things every scout will look for in a football player.

MUST READ: What are Football Scouts?

5 Things Scouts Look For At A Football Trial

1. Technique

The way you deal with the ball is a huge factor in football. Technique is an overall attribute in football that includes your touch and finesse, your passing and shooting abilities, your dribbling and one on one skills and more.

2. Physical Attributes

Nowadays, footballers are physical machines, strength wise and cardio wise. Football has always been a physical sport but, modern soccer has taken this factor to the next level.

3. Tactical Awareness

Learning how the game works should be your priority to get scouted in football. Sometimes this can be overseen but many would say that scouts are paying specific attention to this because it is the attribute that can take the longest for you to learn.

4. Competitiveness and Hunger

You have to want it, you have to show that the fire to become a footballer is within you.

Is very easy to spot a kid that would do anything to become a professional soccer player compared to a kid that simply plays and would like to become Pro.

Things like character, effort, presence, abilities to overcome bad situations, voice and more, can be seen from the outside by a scout.

5. Overall Behaviour

A good impression can go a thousand miles. This is like everything in life, football is a job, and you should always behave yourself and specially in a job environment.

You have to make it easy for your teammates, coaches, scouts and agents to interact and deal with you.

However, each position in football be it goalkeeping, midfield, forward, wing etc has its own talent identification ID and scouts will need to see that.

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What Football Scouts look for in football players in a given position

1. What scouts look for in a goalkeeper

Playing in goal is the loneliest position on a football pitch. If you make a mistake, this often leads to a goal. Therefore Goalkeepers must have great mental toughness and concentration levels. The key attributes a scout looks for in a goalkeeper include:

• Aerial ability
• Command of the penalty area
• Communication with defence
• Decision Making
• Distribution
• Good reflexes
• Handling
• One-on-one ability
• Positioning
• Shot Stopping

2. What football scouts look for in a full back