World Class Soccer Training

World-class soccer training is monitored and evaluated by the governing bodies of individual countries and continents. For example, the Scottish Football Association website reports that the education of soccer coaches in Europe is administered under the European governing body, UEFA.

  1. History

    • The European governing body in soccer, UEFA, reports that soccer coaching qualifications and licenses were introduced in 1997 in order to provide world-class coaching opportunities for both players and coaches. In the world’s top soccer leagues, such as in Spain, England and Germany, coaches and managers are required to have the UEFA Pro License before they are allowed to become a manager or head coach and compete on a European level. All 53 member nations of UEFA are required to ensure coaches have access to UEFA licensed coaching in order to coach at the highest level of soccer. In the U.S., the National Soccer Coaches Association of America explains that the Premier Diploma is available to coaches who have completed either the U.S. A License or the UEFA A License and is designed to administer advanced soccer coaching.

    Types

    • The Scottish Football Association website explains that soccer training at the highest level of the sport is delivered by coaches who have achieved either the UEFA Pro License or the UEFA A License, the Pro license is described by BBC Sport as being more closely associated with man management than coaching. To achieve the highest level of training qualifications available a coach must work his way up through the coaching qualifications of a nation's governing body for soccer. Some of the more basic levels of coaching awards can be bypassed if a level of prior playing or coaching experience can be shown.

    Pro

    • The UEFA Pro license or U.S. Premier Diploma is a coaching course designed for coaches working with the senior players of professional clubs around the world. To complete UEFA’s Pro License a coach must complete at least 240 hours of practical experience around subjects involving the club at which they are working. The BBC Sport website explains the Pro License course involves trips to European soccer teams competing at Champions League level, for example Real Madrid and Inter Milan. These trips provide coaches with an opportunity to observe training facilities and sessions. The Pro License coaching course also provides lectures and workshops from successful coaches and managers from around Europe.

    Training

    • The BBC Sport website explains Pro License coaches are trained to offer coaching to world class soccer players, a module on the Pro License course deals exclusively with dealing with top-class players. Other modules available for soccer training include planning a strategy for a season, succeeding in a key fixture and improving the performance of key players.

    A License

    • The UEFA A License is described by the Scottish Football Association as being suited to coaches delivering daily coaching sessions to top-class players in Europe’s top leagues. The A License and its U.S. equivalent, the USSF A License cover the coaching of world class players on matters of tactics. Some of the subjects covered include styles of attack and defense and the style of system played during a game.