There are many young players who wish to become professional footballers in the future. However, they are also worried about how to combine their passion for the game with their education. However, it is possible to combine sport and studies by following these 3 rules:
1. Know how to manage your schedule
Youths who dream of becoming professional footballers generally think that they should drop out of school at all costs so that they can concentrate more on the sport. The truth is that dropping out of school in favour of sport could, in one way or another, be a source of regret in the future. Talent is still not enough just to succeed. How many talented youngsters do you know who have devoted their entire lives to football but failed to fulfil their wish? That means that to make your dream come true you also have to think about destiny. We don't know what tomorrow will be made of.
In your case, the most sensible thing to do is never to favour football at the expense of your studies. On the contrary, the ideal is to find the right balance to reconcile sport and studies. To do so, you must know how to manage your schedule. Your regularity at school must be be obligatory. Above all, you should avoid missing classes because you have to train. At home, get into the habit of learning your lessons on a daily basis and practice as much as possible. In fact, studies do not prevent you from enrolling in a football academy and making a living from it, but it helps. You just need to be well organised.
2. Joining a professional football academy
Perhaps the best way for you to combine studies and sport is to enrol at a professional football centre that asks for copies of previous years' results in advance. Football academies usually offer a combination of open academic education and a promising sporting activity. Sport and studies are inseparable in these institutes. Obviously, you could take a football academy course there without any impact on your studies. Candidates who wish to take the football test to enter these institutions generally require good language skills.
The academic calendar is quite distinct from the sports calendar. There is time fully devoted to classes and time for training sessions. Football academies are even among the structures that offer better quality teaching. They perform well in school exams and provide you with the support you need to become excellent footballer.
3. Taking inspiration from great international players
Are you a college or high school student with a passion for football? Many of the players you see on the television and who play for major European clubs have never compromised their schooling. They didn't do it because they simply wanted to be professional footballers at all costs. Many football legends have been brilliant pupils and students and have graduated with interesting and prestigious diplomas.
One example is Juan Mata. The Spanish international has a degree in journalism and a master's degree in English. As for the French international and world champion, N'golo Kanté, he has a BTS in accounting. The same goes for Juventus player Giorgio Chiellini and Manchester City defender Vincent Kompany. They hold a degree in Economics and a Master of Business Administration respectively. Studying was not for them, and many other players with diplomas, a handicap to practise sport while being enrolled in school. These players were good at combining sport and studies. They must inspire you.