Playing football overseas or abroad especially European football is a dream for many children around the world. We all know that European football is the main hub for football. With that being said, it doesn’t mean that playing football in other alternative countries are considered bad. You have to realise that playing football in any high level of a country is not easy to get by. It always takes hard work, dedication combines with talent and consistency to get to that level.
Now, what makes European football so admirable is the quality of the players and the exposure given by the media which made it highly recognizable worldwide. I said so due to the reason that there are so many talented players outside Europe such as Asia, Africa, Australia but they don’t get as much exposure compared to European players.
Therefore, it’s a normal thing when those “outsiders” players want to gain entry to Europe and make it work there. However, it’s not simply just booking a plane ticket overseas and playing football there. These 5 things you need to consider is applicable to most countries in the world, regardless you also need to do your own due diligence.
Immigration and Visa
I would say this is the first thing as it’s the most important. You need to ensure you know all the requirements you need to enter the country. Depending on your OWN situation i.e., nationality, family history, you might have an advantage over others to gain entry permission. Let’s say your parents have dual nationality. You might be eligible for one if not both passport which might allow you to enter the country. I mean you can’t change where you or your parents were born, so if this is not applicable to you, fear not there’s a solution.
One thing you can do to work around it is by becoming a student using a student visa. Obviously, you have to enrol in a school or university. Then you can play football in the highest league possible. The caveat is I think most countries won’t allow people on a student visa to play in a professional league since it’s considered as a worker, unless, again you have that nationality advantage, etc.
Another one is using a travel visa. With this, you really have a short amount of time so it’s better to prepare everything beforehand. Having a few clubs trial line up when you arrive will save so much time. This is might be the most familiar route since you have no other mandatory commitment like using a student visa. Also, you can’t be hired to play for a professional club using this visa. So if a club wants to sign you they will do their administration to get you up and running.
Since I’m not a legal immigrant advisor, I can’t tell you many details about this. But you get my point, a visa or the country’s passport is very essential to get your foot in the door.
Knowing the Country and the People
Whenever you go somewhere new, you will need to adapt and get to know the culture, the community, even better the language. It will make your transition a lot easier because again football is about knowing the right people. So if you manage to meet with the plug, then it will be a massive advantage on your side.
Like I said previously, having someone you know i.e., family, friends, coaches or even agents would be a huge advantage for you. Especially, coaches and agents where they are actually working in the football industry. It will help you to get your name out there and might be able to guide you to your end goal.
This being said, you shouldn’t solely rely on them otherwise it would be slow progress. Take accountability, and do your own part as well such as cold calling teams, email, or even go to their training ground. I know it’s daunting (I’ve been there just so you know), especially being a foreigner not knowing anybody or even worse not knowing the language. Fear not, it’s just another hurdle that you need to go through.
Sorting Accommodation
This really applies if you come with a travel visa and only have a couple of months to stay in. Some players use platforms such as Airbnb and hop from one to another until they get signed with a team. This means you might also need to share rooms with other people you don’t know and this related to the point previously of meeting new people.
I know it’s a nomad lifestyle where you have to go to places and really need to adapt quickly to the change of environment. This might not be ideal for some of you but it’s the reality and the hard work you need to do off the pitch.
Money
This is the obvious one. All the visa, accommodation, transport, food requires financial sacrifice on your part. Some players can get support from their parents, some need to find a part-time job, some need to borrow money. That’s the reality. If you want to go pursue your goal, you have a price to pay on and off the pitch.
Related Read → The Real Truth: How Much Average Professional Football Players Earn
Your Playing Level
Now, all these previous points are irrelevant if you don’t have the football capability to compete abroad. What I notice often is that players saying it would be easier to play overseas because they have all of this and that. I’ve got to tell you that’s not realistic at all!
Let’s think logically. If you don’t even dominate the team you’re in or not even having a team locally, what makes you think that a team in other countries would want you. Why would you go abroad, sacrificing all of these points I mentioned while you probably have a team near your area. Because, the point really is to get you playing consistently and become a better player locally and when you are ready, you can go abroad and explore the higher level.
However, if you’ve been playing in your own country, made it to a decent level and you think you can make the jump or go for an experience. Then, you should go for it while also considering all of these things I’ve mentioned. As long as you have a well-thought reason to back it up, I’d say go for it.
That’s all from me today. Hopefully, I can give you a little bit of insight into what you should think about before deciding to go abroad and pursue your career. I’d also want to recommend watching this video which might explain further about playing football overseas.
