How to Become a Professional Footballer in Nigeria in 2024

To be honest, it is not easy to become a successful professional footballer in Nigeria, but with little luck and aligning yourself with some rules, you can increase the likelihood of clinching a football contract. Football is the most popular sport in Nigeria, and many people have amassed a lot of wealth by becoming footballers in Nigeria and elsewhere in the world.

A successful footballer is often respected and well-regarded by countrymen and fans for years. But the sporting industry is highly competitive and needs a lot of hard work, excellence, and dedication.

Thousands of hopeful youths enrol in football academies in Nigeria. With only a minuscule or a tiny fraction of them making a decent career out of football. The number of professional footballers in Nigeria is so small, so how does one challenge the odds and become a successful professional footballer in Nigeria?

Here are some vital tips that will guide you:

Tips on becoming a professional footballer in Nigeria

Start young

Though there is no written rule that makes it compulsory to play football when young to become a professional footballer, it gives you a substantial advantage. It will help you with enough time to master the skills in football and develop yourself. It takes time to develop a high-quality skill to become a virtuoso.

Let’s assume you began professional football training at the age of 9, and at age 20, you’d have had 11 solid years of coaching and mastership to become a trained professional footballer. This is the rationale for football academies to develop talented football players at a very young age so they can be professionals by the time they attain adulthood.

Though this does not apply to everyone.

You need a team

Professional football is played by a squad. This means football is team-centred. It is essential you join a team to boost your skill. It is another way to get the attention of scouts through playing with a team.

Switching teams when they are not up to standard may also be necessary. Loyalty is great, but personal development matters too. Stay in a positive and growth-fueled environment that will enable you to succeed as a professional footballer.

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Make sacrifices

Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the best footballers in Europe, once said, ‘Talent is not enough anymore’. To become a successful footballer, you must be willing to trade comfort for hard work, diligence, and dedication. It has been noted that Ronaldo remains in the training ground perfecting his skills long after his teammates have left. That is an example of sacrifice.

So the likes of Messi, Aguero, Lewandowski, and other remarkable players may play as if they were born to succeed in the game. Still, there are hours of training and dedication to the game beneath the surface of showy skills and record-breaking.

Paradoxically, if football is what you truly love doing, then you shouldn’t feel tired of training and having fun while improving yourself.

Healthy diet and exercise

Healthy diet and exercise matter. Football is a very physical sport and high energy consumption to remain on the field after 67 minutes. So a nutritious diet rich in protein, vitamins, and carbohydrates is vital.

Minimal intake of junk and sugary food will help.

Exercise and fitness plan is also a must. It would help if you had a customized fitness plan to improve your age and body size. Football utilizes a whole lot of vigour and strength. So your fitness plan should be intense to build your endurance.

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Find an agent

To increase your likelihood of clinching a deal with a professional football club, you will need the connection of agents. Football agents are very influential in the football world and can help further your interest and represent you. They can help you find a good football club to kickstart your career.

Work Hard

The road to success is paved with bottles and pickles. To be among the best, you have to work hard. It is the most important rule for succeeding. Even if you clinch a deal, continue investing your energy to succeed, and you will reap the benefit.

Top Amateur Clubs for Nigerian Footballers

36 Lion Football Club

36 Lion Football Club is a member of the Lagos State Football Association; the club identifies and nurtures raw talent into excellent and promising footballers, as well as operates a football vocational school in Lagos.

A.S Racines Football Club

A.S Racines Football Club is a famous football club in Lagos dedicated to teaching and providing opportunities for bright young footballers to demonstrate their abilities in a world of global competition.

Anointed Stars Football Club

Anointed Stars Football Club is a football club located in Lagos, Nigeria, that is dedicated to supporting young gifted footballers with self-development and talent development.

Beta-Africa Football Club Limited

Beta-Africa Football Club Limited is a Lagos-based Nigerian football club that provides a platform for young talented footballers to showcase their abilities while also funding them in local and international championships.

Football Club Bralex

Bralex Football Club is a Lagos-based Nigerian football club that specializes in offering outstanding soccer players from the grassroots the opportunity to follow their goals of becoming professional footballers.

Chykap International Football Club

Chykap International Football Club, situated in Lagos, is a renowned and creative football club that also offers talent discovery, player talent management, and sponsorship of football tournaments.

El-Miraka Football Club

El-Miraka Football Club is a well-known Lagos-based football club with under 15, 17, 19, and 21-year-old players, as well as a team of expert coaches and instructors dedicated to nurturing and developing young talent.

Emmydinho Football Club

Emmydinho Football Club is a Nigerian soccer development organization established to help young football players develop their skills by providing them with the greatest technical and tactical knowledge available.

Gidi Football Club

Gidi Football Club is a privately run Lagos-based football team established by Akorede Huthman. They frequently provide opportunities for young players to play for big European clubs.

Goodland Rangers Football Club

Goodland Rangers Football Club is a professional football team dedicated to creating professional players who would positively impact the globe. The squad has excelled in the national division league.

Life Changers Football Club

Life Changers Football Club is a Christian football club based in Lagos, Nigeria, that develops, nurtures and empowers young gifted footballers.

Little Tiger Football Club

Little Tiger Football Club is a fast expanding junior football club/school/club with locations in Lekki and Gbagada that offers friendlies, summer football courses, football training sessions, football costume parties, and much more.

Moonluck Football Club

Moonluck Football Club is a professional football club with a trained technical team that is always ready to harness the best qualities in our children to help them reach their full potential.

Learn All About Becoming a Professional Footballer in Nigeria