How to play overseas if you are a Singaporean?

• Constantly have highlights / videos of you playing.

• Get in touch with soccer academies or soccer agents. There are various academies and agents out there

• Scroll through google for any open trials overseas.

• Have the right mindset. Positive thinking always.

Without a doubt, it is a kid’s dream wanting to play in one of the biggest leagues abroad regardless if it is in Europe or in Asia. Even so, it is never an easy task to reach to that level. Different leagues requires different level of intensity and thus we have to be prepared. There is only one way up and that is to work extremely hard in wanting achieve your dreams. Set backs are bound to happen in an athletes life and we have to know that it is ok to fail sometimes, we learn from there and we keep pushing. Many footballers tend to give up the very moment they experience a setback but remember this, “Failure is just another opportunity to start over”. To achieve such a dream, having the right mindset is extremely important.

Now even with constant training and working, connections in the sporting world is extremely crucial especially if you want to pursue your footballing career overseas. Many athletes who want to pursue a career in football overseas tend to stop halfway through because there wasn’t any progress. It is extremely important to constantly check on social media/google regarding any trials conducted by clubs overseas. Some academies would conduct trials during the summer before the season start.

Make sure you email the various clubs or academies and enquire them regarding any trials which they will be conducting anytime soon. Even if the clubs don’t reply, that does not mean you should stop. Continue asking and you never know when the right opportunity will come. Your big break will eventually become a reality.

For youngsters, it is best to be exposed to competitions overseas because it is one of the best ways to shape you to become a better footballer as you will be competing with players from different parts of the world. Academies such as F17, JSSL Arsenal, and Chelsea Soccer School are great examples of academies that provide such exposures to their athletes because they are constantly sending their teams every few months to overseas competitions such as the Gothia Cup. Even with such exposure, it comes with a price. Wanting to enroll into such academies will require a huge amount of money.

If enrolling into an established academy is too much for you then that’s fine. There are other routes for young footballers to go through. It does not necessarily mean it’s a must to get into such academy and that it is the only way. One can enroll themselves into various academies that does not cost much. There are plenty out there, it’s just a matter of putting in the effort to look out for the academies.

All in all, playing abroad is definitely everyone’s dream but it is never an easy journey for any footballer. Foreign players in Europe had to work extremely hard, started from the lower divisions and slowly making their way up towards the higher divisions. Nothing is impossible if you want to achieve something. It is all about dedication, determination and hard work.