How to Create a Football CV That Opens Doors

Mon Jun 01 2026

''' An agent opens an email from a player. He has 100 more waiting. He gives it 30 seconds. Attached is a "Football CV." It's three pages long, written in a weird font, and the first thing he sees is a blurry picture from a night out. He closes the email. Another opportunity gone.

Your CV is your passport in the football world. Before anyone watches your highlight video, before they invite you for a trial, and before they even think about offering you a contract, they will look at your CV. It’s your first impression, and more often than not, it’s the only one you’ll get.

This isn't a resume for a normal job. It’s a clean, sharp summary of you as a player. Get it right, and doors will open. Get it wrong, and you'll be ignored.

What Is a Football CV and Why Do You Need One?

A football CV (Curriculum Vitae) is a one-page document that summarises your football identity. Think of it as your player profile on paper. Its purpose is to give scouts, club recruitment staff, and agents all the essential information they need to make a quick and informed decision about you.

Do you fit the profile they're looking for? Are you the right age, nationality, and position? Have you played at a respectable level? Your CV answers these questions in seconds.

Without a professional CV, you look like an amateur. It shows you don't understand how the industry works. Every serious player, from a youth prospect hoping for an academy trial to a seasoned pro looking for a new club, needs a polished and up-to-date CV.

The Key Sections for Your Player CV

Forget fancy designs and logos. Clarity is king. Your CV should be clean, easy to read, and no longer than a single A4 page. Stick to a professional font like Arial, Helvetica, or Calibri in a readable size (10-12pt). Here’s what you must include.

Personal & Contact Details

This goes at the very top. If they’re interested, they need to know who you are and how to contact you immediately. Don't make them hunt for it.

• Full Name
• Date of Birth & Age (e.g., 14 May 2002, 22 years old)
• Nationality (Include all passports, e.g., "Nigerian / British (EU Passport)")
• Height & Weight (Use cm/kg or ft/lbs, be consistent)
• Preferred Foot (Right, Left, Both)
• Email Address (A professional one: joe.bloggs.football@email.com, not hotboy_99@email.com)
• Phone Number (with country code, e.g., +44...)
• Current Location (City, Country)

Playing Position(s)

Be specific. State your primary position first, and a secondary one if you are genuinely comfortable and have experience playing there.

• Good example: Striker (Primary), Right Winger (Secondary)
• Bad example: Attacker (This is too vague)
• Bad example: CM/CAM/LW/RW/ST (This makes you look like a master of none)

Playing History

This is the heart of your CV. It must be in reverse chronological order, meaning your most recent club comes first. This is what scouts care about most: what you are doing right now.

Here’s how to format it for each club:

1. Club ABCD FC (2023 - Present)
   • Isthmian League – South East Division (Step 4, England)
   • 32 Appearances, 14 Goals, 8 Assists
2. Club EFG Rovers (2021 - 2023)
   • Southern Combination Football League Premier (Step 5, England)
   • 58 Appearances, 21 Goals, 15 Assists
3. Youth Academy United (2018 - 2021)
   • U18 & U21 Teams
   • Team Captain (2020/21)

Honesty is critical here. Don't invent stats or claim you played for a club’s first team when you were only in the reserves. It’s easy to check, and a single lie will destroy your credibility.

Key Attributes

This is a quick snapshot of your strengths as a player. Don't just list generic terms. Be specific and tailor them to your position. Use a simple bulleted list.

• Technical: Excellent first touch, wide passing range, strong 1v1 dribbling ability, clinical finishing.
• Physical: Exceptional pace over 20 yards, high stamina, strong aerial presence, quick recovery.
• Mental: Leader on the pitch, strong work ethic, composed under pressure, tactically aware.

Links to Your Highlights & Profile

Your CV and highlight video work as a team. Your CV gets their attention, and your video proves your claims. Include a direct, clickable link to your full highlight video on YouTube or Vimeo. Also, link to your Transfermarkt or Soccerway profile if you have one.

Common CV Mistakes to Avoid

I’ve seen thousands of player CVs. The ones that get thrown in the bin almost always make one of these basic mistakes.

• Exceeding One Page: Nobody has time to read a novel. Be concise. If you can't fit it on one page, you’re including too much irrelevant information.
• Spelling and Grammar Errors: This screams unprofessionalism. Get a friend, parent, or coach to proofread it carefully.
• Bad Photos: Use a high-quality headshot (shoulders up, in a plain kit or top) or a clear action shot of you playing. No selfies, no group photos, no blurry images.
• Unverifiable Information: Don't lie about your clubs, your stats, or your accolades. The football world is small, and people talk.
• Distracting Formatting: Keep it simple. Black text on a white background works perfectly. Avoid colours, fancy graphics, or hard-to-read fonts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should my football CV be one page?

Yes, always. Coaches and agents are busy people. They need to see all the critical information at a glance. A single, well-organized page shows respect for their time and proves you can communicate effectively.

What's more important, my CV or my highlight video?

They are equally important and serve different purposes. Your CV is the key that gets your foot in the door; it generates the initial interest. Your highlight video is what you show them once you're inside; it backs up the claims on your CV with visual evidence.

Do I need a professional to design my football CV?

No, you don't. A clean and simple document created in Microsoft Word or Google Docs is perfectly fine and often preferred. Focus on the quality of the information, not on flashy design. A simple template is all you need.

Should I include my agent's details on my CV?

If you have a signed, exclusive contract with a FIFA-licensed agent, then yes. You can add their name and contact details at the bottom. If you are just talking to someone who calls themselves an agent but have no formal agreement, leave it off.

Your CV is a living document. You should update it at the end of every season with new stats, clubs, and achievements. Having a professional CV ready to go means you can move quickly when an opportunity comes up. It’s your most important tool off the pitch. Now that you know how to build it, you can find live football trials, contract offers, and agent connections on My Football Future to put it to use. '''