Footballer
Play football to entertain the fans and gain success for your team. Keep yourself fit and healthy and constantly practice to improve your skills.
Also known as: football player
About the job
Salary
Source: LMI for All
Weekly
£1,290
Average
Monthly
£5,160
Average
Yearly
£67,080
Average
1,400
people are currently employed
Low growth
100 more jobs in 5 years
These figures refer to this job and similar ones with comparable skills and qualifications. They only apply to Scotland. Source: Oxford Economics
A day in the life – Footballer
What it's like
You would play football to entertain the fans and gain success for your team. You’d work hard to keep yourself fit and healthy and constantly practice to improve your skills.
You’d need to have exceptional footballing talent and the discipline to work hard to improve your performance level.
You would play as part of a team in a professional or semi-professional league. You'd need to be a very competitive person but also work well in a team.
You would:
Play in matches against other teams in your league
Attend regular training sessions to improve your skills and general fitness
Work on tactics, sometimes watching videos of matches to analyse your strengths and weaknesses
Work with specialists such as physiotherapists, sports psychologists, coaches and your team manager
Act on advice on diet and lifestyle from nutritionists and doctors
As a top player you might also give media interviews and be paid to promote products in adverts.
At all levels, you might take part in work in the community, such as helping to coach local children and attending charity events.
Hours
Travel
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
Like the sound of this career?
Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Footballer'
Select qualification level(s)
Other careers that you might like
Jockey Sports professional
Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Here are some of the skills you'll need to do this job:
- evaluating
- observation
- building relationships
- cooperating
- listening
- self esteem
- motivating others
- taking responsibility
- self awareness
- persevering
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
PE (Physical education)
Skills for Work: Sport and Recreation
There are no formal qualifications required to enter this role. Most employers value a good general education including English and maths.
Footballers are usually spotted by scouts when playing for secondary school age teams. They are then invited to train with a team and may be offered a contract once they leave school.
The Scottish Football Association (SFA) offers an opportunity to gain relevant work-based qualifications through a Modern Apprenticeship with the SFA. This is a two-year programme which leads to a Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) in Achieving Excellence in Sports Performance at level 3.
Involvement in sports clubs or amateur organisations from an early age.
Qualifications and experience that show fitness and sporting skills such as Sports Leaders UK Award or Skills for Work Sports & Recreation (SCQF level 4).
Find the right course for you
Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Footballer'
