Your Football CV: Pro Guide to Getting a Trial
'''Your CV has less than 30 seconds to convince a coach, scout, or agent to care about you. That’s it. In the time it takes to read a few bullet points, a decision-maker has already put you in the "yes," "maybe," or "no" pile. Harsh? Yes. Reality? Absolutely. A weak, unprofessional CV is the fastest way to get your dreams deleted. But a sharp, well-structured football CV can open doors you thought were locked. It’s not just a document; it’s your professional passport. Let's get it right. ## Why do you even need a football CV? Isn't my highlight video enough? A great highlight video is essential, but it’s only half the story. Your CV provides the critical context that a video can’t. Think about it from the club's perspective. They need to know your age, your nationality, your exact playing history, and your physical stats at a glance. A video shows your talent, but your CV proves your background and legitimacy. It tells a club you’re a serious, organised player who understands the professional side of the game. A great CV paired with a strong video is the combination that gets you a trial. One without the other feels incomplete. ## What must be on page one of my football CV? Page one is all that matters initially. If a decision-maker has to flip to a second page to find your date of birth or passport details, you've already made it too difficult. Your CV should be a single page. ### Essential Player Information This section should be at the very top. No exceptions. It’s the first thing a scout or coach looks for. * Full Name: * Date of Birth & Age: (e.g., 21-May-2003, 21 years old) * Nationality: (Your passport country) * Height: (in cm and ft/in) * Weight: (in kg and lbs) * Primary Position: (e.g., Centre-Back) * Secondary Position(s): (e.g., Right-Back, Defensive Midfielder) * Preferred Foot: (Right, Left, or Both) ### Contact Details Make it easy for them to contact you. * Mobile Number: (Include country code, e.g., +44 for UK) * Email Address: (Use a professional one, like firstname.lastname@email.com) * Current Location: (City, Country) ### Player Profiles (if you have them) * Transfermarkt Profile URL: If you have one, this adds huge credibility. * Highlight Video URL: A clickable link to your latest video on YouTube or Vimeo. ### Playing History This is the core of your CV. List your experience in reverse chronological order (most recent first). 1. 2023-2024: Club Name (Country) - League/Division Name | 25 appearances, 4 goals, 8 assists 2. 2022-2023: Club Name (Country) - League/Division Name | 30 appearances, 2 goals, 5 assists 3. 2020-2022: Youth Academy/Club (Country) - U19/U21 League | 50+ appearances Be specific. Include the club, the country, the exact league, and your key stats for that season (appearances, goals, assists, clean sheets for GKs/defenders). ## What common mistakes do players make on their CV? I’ve seen thousands of CVs. The ones that get ignored almost always make one of these classic mistakes. Don’t be that player. * Including non-football achievements: No one cares about your part-time job or that you were a school prefect. Keep it 100% football-focused. * Using a terrible photo: Your headshot should be a clear, professional-looking photo of you in kit. No selfies, no group photos, no blurry action shots. * Lying or exaggerating: The football world is small. If you claim you trialled with a pro club and you didn’t, someone will find out. Honesty is everything. * Poor formatting: A messy, hard-to-read CV screams "unprofessional." Use a clean, simple template. Keep it to one page. Save it as a PDF titled with your name (e.g., "John-Doe-Football-CV.pdf"). * Outdated information: If you sent a CV in May that still has last season’s stats on it, it looks lazy. Update it constantly. ## What do agents look for on a player