Are you a budding striker looking to get noticed by soccer scouts? You must know that scouts have specific criteria for evaluating strikers. In this article, we will discuss what do soccer scouts look for in a striker? So if you are an aspiring striker, you need to possess the following qualities to get noticed by scouts.
Traits that soccer scouts look for in a striker
Technical abilities
Stricker is a position that requires technical ability. They are the ones who can win a match with a single touch. Therefore, the most important trait that scouts look for in a striker is technical abilities
Technical abilities include passing, shooting, and dribbling. Although these abilities are important for every position, but for every position, they have a different weight in their importance. For strikers, technical abilities like their shooting, finishing, and passing must be exceptional if they want to get noticed by scouts.
Most players think that passing skill is not that important for a striker but in reality, it is a very important trait, because not the time you have the opportunity to shoot. Many times you have to pass the ball to another player for a better opportunity.
Speed and Agility
No matter how technically gifted a striker is, if he/she lacks speed and agility he will not be successful and can not impress a soccer scout. A striker should be quick and agile on the pitch, so he can outrun defenders, and reach a ball before any defender does.
As you know how fast professional defenders can move and react, it’s very important for a striker to be agile and have great speed. If you are not agile and fast, there is a very high chance that you will be marked by defenders very easily.
Don’t worry if you are not naturally fast, you can always improve your speed and agility through regular training like sprint drills and agility drills. To give you a small tip, if you want to run faster the best way to do that is to run on your toes instead of heels and use your heels for breaks.
I tried this technique and I know it will do wonders with your speed too. If you feel like your speed didn’t improve much, there are many drills and training you can do, to improve your speed and agility.
Decision-making skills
Speed is useless if a player doesn’t have the ability to make the right decision at the right time. When it comes to strikers, decision-making is very important because they can quickly win a match with a single touch.
Scouts look for players who can look at the whole situation and pick the right option in split seconds. A striker needs to be aware of his/her surroundings, and know when to pass, shoot, or dribble.
So no matter how fast a striker is, if he/she won’t have the ability to make the right decision, his speed and technical abilities will not help them. Now, the right decision-making can not be learned in a day, you need to practice and train regularly on it and watch game videos to see how other strikers make decisions.
Reading skills
Most people think that soccer is a game where you just need to kick the ball and try to score but that’s not true. Soccer is a game of the mind.
Now, reading skills doesn’t mean reading a book, but reading the defenders and understanding their movements. In order to get noticed by soccer scouts, a striker must have the ability to read opponents’ movements and design your own movements accordingly.
Now, reading is not only limited to the opponent’s players but also about reading players on your team, to know which player is open or what angle the pass should be made. Once you develop the ability to read you will be able to make better decisions and play much smarter.
You can improve your reading skills by observing the players and their movements. Watching professional games and analyzing them will help you learn a lot.
Stamina
Stamina is something that can be improved through training and proper diet, but it’s still an important trait to have as a striker. Soccer scouts look for strikers who have the ability to play for the full 90 minutes without slowing down or getting tired.
The striker must have the ability to keep running, pressing, and winning balls until the very end. This will ensure that the striker can make an impact in the later stages of the match as well and not just at the start.
Even if you have the technical abilities and all the speed in the world, if you do not have the stamina to match it then you will be less effective and may fail to impress a soccer scout. I mean it’s common sense if you are a soccer player looking for a professional contract, and you don’t have stamina.
This is the reason why soccer scouts prefer young strikers rather than older and slower ones. So before you start looking for a soccer scout to impress, make sure you have the right attributes and qualities.
Positioning
Positioning is another essential trait that soccer scouts look for in a striker. A good striker never stays in the same position for too long, they always adjust their positioning depending on where the ball is, and that’s what scouts look for.
Good strikers are the ones who can read the game and adjust their positioning accordingly so that they can get into goal-scoring positions and can link up play between the midfielders and forwards. If you are a sticker that stays in one position and wait for the ball to come to you, then chances are you will not impress a soccer scout.
As a striker, you should identify space, gaps, and opportunities on the field, and to achieve this you have to be constantly changing your position and adjusting yourself according to the game.
Strong body
When I say strong body, it doesn’t mean that you have to look like a bodybuilder, but it means that you should have the strength to hold off defenders, and in some cases, you have to push them to make space for yourself. This is where body strength will help you.
As a striker defenders will challenge you for balls, and if you are not strong enough to hold them off then there will be very less chances of you winning the ball. Defenders will easily push you to fall on the ground and win the ball, and that’s not what soccer scouts look for in a striker.
When soccer scouts look for a striker, they want one that pushes off the defender and makes space for themselves to get into goal-scoring positions. If you have the strength and ability to do this, then you will surely impress a soccer scout.
Mentality
For a striker, a strong mentality is just as important as any other attribute. Soccer scouts look for a striker that has the right mindset and attitude when they are on the field.
A good striker is confident, determined, and focused on the field. A striker has to be aggressive in their approach and have the will to win. A striker should also never give up and be willing to work hard for their team. If you have all these qualities, then you will surely impress a soccer scout.
But if you are the one that loses focus easily or gives up during the game due to losing or anything, then you may struggle to impress a soccer scout. So if you are a striker that is looking for a professional contract, make sure you have the right mentality and attitude that soccer scouts look for.
Good communication skills
Communication is an important trait that scouts look for in a striker. A striker should be able to communicate with other players on the field and make sure everyone is on the same page. Good communication means being able to tell your teammates when and where to pass, shoot or dribble. It means, being able to tell them where to move and when.
You can grab the attention of soccer scouts by communicating well with your teammates and having a positive effect on the whole team. You see professional soccer players shouting out instructions to other players on their team during the game and that’s why communication is so important.
If you are a quiet player on the field, you won’t be able to grab the attention of soccer scouts. So, work on your communication skills and try to be vocal during matches. It will not only help you grab the attention of soccer scouts, but it will also help your team to perform better.
What do soccer scouts look for in a young striker?
Kids from ages 5-12 are just starting to understand the game and hone their skills as a striker. Their skills are not yet refined enough to be noticed by soccer scouts but if they scout young players, they always look for a player’s future potential.
Most of the time, players are being scouted from the age of 13 and onwards. But this doesn’t mean that young strikers can just rest on their laurels and wait until they are older. Young strikers should already be working on these skills. It’s not impossible to impress a get scouted at a young age like 5-12.
At age 13, the scouts will look for all the above qualities in a striker. Because this is the age when their skills start to develop and scouts can see the potential in them. So, if you are keen to become a professional striker and impress soccer scouts, start working on the above skills from an early age.
Real Madrid recently signed 16 years old Endrick Felipe for 60 million. So keep working hard and who knows you are the next Endrick Felipe.
Where do soccer scouts look for a striker?
There is a big misconception that soccer scouts only look for strikers in professional leagues. But this isn’t true at all. Soccer scouts are always on the lookout for talented strikers at all levels of the game. From amateur leagues to school teams, and even youth tournaments, soccer scouts are always on the lookout for a potential striker.
So, if you are a striker that is looking to be scouted by a professional team, don’t just limit yourself to the professional leagues. Try to get your name out there, take part in as many tournaments and matches as you can, and always strive to improve yourself.
There is even a story of a professional soccer player who was scouted on a beach. So, you never know where soccer scouts might find the perfect striker for their team!
Does age matter for scouts when scouting a striker?
Yes, age does matter when soccer scouts are looking for a striker. As you know soccer players have a limited career span and older players will start to slow down in terms of their physical capabilities.
So, depending on the team and its requirements, soccer scouts will focus more on young players with the potential to develop and become better strikers rather than old and experienced players. But that doesn’t mean older players don’t have a chance.
Experienced players will always be in demand, especially if they can show that they still have the same skills and quality as when they were younger. So, if you are an experienced striker, make sure to keep your body in shape and show the soccer scouts that age is just a number!
What is the best age to be scouted as a striker?
The best age to be scouted as a striker is usually between the ages of 13 and 18. At this age, players have had enough time to work on their skills and become better strikers.
But if you are older than 18 and have the skills, don’t worry as there is still a chance to be scouted for a professional team. You should keep trying until age 28- 30. To be realistic, after age 30 chances of being scouted are near to impossible. But you can still play at high levels and have a successful career.
If you want to become a professional soccer player, I would recommend starting as early as possible, this way you will get time to improve your skills and you will have more chances to be scouted.
Conclusion
Now you know what soccer scouts look for in a striker. It’s recommended to start developing your skills as early as possible. Age can be a determining factor, but don’t let that stop you. As long as you can show that your skills are still top-notch, you will have a chance to be scouted by professional teams.
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