How To Join A Football Club In Nigeria – A Simple Guide

How To Join A Football Club In Nigeria – A Simple Guide

Nigeria has many aspiring footballers who think daily about how to join a football club in Nigeria.

For many, the road is paved with thorns, as they do not understand what it takes to be a playing staff of a football club in Nigeria. 

If you belong in this category, you need not put too much thought into how to join a football club in Nigeria and become a real international star. We'll put you through with guidelines. These guidelines should set you on your way to achieving your goals.

Many people have asked this question and have not gotten answers. Some have tried to wing it but come up short. Here are some pointers on how to join a football club in Nigeria.

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What is your motivation for wanting to be a footballer? Why do you want to start with a Nigerian club? 

Perhaps it is the dream of the superstar lifestyle like some Nigerian players – Odion Ighalo, or is it the fat salary that Victor Osimhen receives at Napoli?

Maybe the glory which comes from winning laurels for club and country is a temptation too much to resist. 

Whatever the reason, football has become one of the most alluring careers in Nigeria.

Nigeria has abundant talent in the football sphere. For the Nigerian male, his first toy is probably a football. Ironically, the space is limited, and competition is high.

Thousands of young players are in the market seeking opportunities, and it is obvious – they are oblivious to the intricacies of the business end of the game.

All they have in the bag is their skills and the motivation to succeed. However, this article should clear some foggy areas in their minds and put them on the right path about how to join a football club in Nigeria.

As a player aspiring to make a career out of football and wondering how to join a football club in Nigeria, you need to understand the framework. 

You need to understand the road is not paved with roses, and the variables for making it are continuously changing.

Without much ado, let's launch into how to join a football club in Nigeria.

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How to join a football club in Nigeria

Here are the three basic things you need to do:

Know Thyself

To begin, you need to assess yourself on the type of player you are.

Are you a striker? What type of striker are you? False 9? Target Man? Etc.

As a player, you must work hard on your strengths until they become second nature.

Secondly, you need to create a portfolio of your videos and playing skills readily available in any form to show to whoever may be interested in you.

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Join a Football Academy

Are you still between 13 and 18 and need to develop your football skills properly? The best advice for you is to join a football academy.

When you join a football academy, you’ll find that you will be instructed by their qualified coaching staff who understand the rudiments of the sport.

They will help you develop professional techniques and groom your natural skills.

You need to be aware that it is at these academies that scouts and coaches select players for the Under 16 Golden Eaglets camp.

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Go to a Trial Camp Abroad

This idea will work for you if you have just graduated from a football school and are between the ages of 15 and 18.

You should start attending trial camps, especially the well-organized ones abroad.

If you can get into a trial camp, top scouts and agents will see you play, and if your skills excite them, you could get admitted into one of the top-flight youth teams.

What European clubs do if they find a good young player in Nigeria is they have an agreement that allows the boy to keep playing in Nigeria until he is 18.

As soon as he clocks 18, he can join the European club.

Only three European clubs have their academy in Nigeria: Barcelona (Bescola International Football School), Real Madrid Academy in Port Harcourt and PSG (Carat24 Football Academy).

Other academies have links to European clubs, which can be an advantage.

So, if you play in one of those affiliated clubs, you will always have a scout from that European club looking at you.

Usually, those academies have frequent tests.

You can join one of those academies, register and take a test. If they like you, they will sign you.

It sure sounds great, doesn't it?

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Sign Up with an Intermediary (Licensed Player Agent)

his one applies to those who already play for a professional football club in the Nigerian league.

You need an Intermediary (licensed player Agent) to represent you.

Licensed player Agents could help you get invitations for trial tests with clubs abroad.

Having professionally filmed and edited video clips of your best performances in the Nigerian league makes it even easier.

By so doing, Agents can present your video clips to clubs and make them invite you for a trial test.

You can find a list of Licensed football player Agents and intermediaries in Nigeria here.

SEE ALSO: Nigeria League Highest Paid Player – Here Are The Top Five

If you know any other way(s) regarding how to join a football club in Nigeria, kindly share it in the comment section so others might know.

This article was most recently revised and updated 7 months ago
Chooka Izuegbuna
Chooka Izuegbuna is a Sports Journalist with 20 years of experience in print, TV and Radio. He has worked with some of the top media houses in Nigeria, including NTA Network, Channels TV, TVC, Silverbird TV and MITV. Chooka broke his sports reporting teeth with The Game Football Weekly in 2003 as a cartoonist and reporter. Chooka has a passion for football and has been a fan of Enugu Rangers (over 30 years) and Real Madrid (Since 1996).
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53 COMMENTS

  1. Comment*
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  2. please sir I want to be a football professional please accept me and I promise to abide by the rules and regulations of the club please sir this is my future and I promise to impress you I really need your help may God help you

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  4. I see players play and win
    and I see players play and lose
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    Plz sir if u can make us not only me but people who beg for ur scouting play for this great nation I bet it wont be a regret no one likes our country losing a competition.
    Pls sir consider our plead as we wait for ur favourable response.
    ChukuwuEbuka ohaeri.
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  8. My name is Michael, I really want to become a great player someday soon but if I don’t start from now how would I made the dream possible for my next generation. With God and you everything is possible! I will love to do the talking on the screening field if I got a response from you ?please contact me on 08130797736 and my email [email protected]. God Bless You

  12. My name is Venaltus, I really want to become a great Goalkeeper someday soon but if I don’t start from now how would I make the dream possible for my next generation. With God and you everything is possible! I will love to do the talking on the screening field if I got a response from you ?please contact me on 08146706820 Email [email protected]

  13. This is my story.
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  20. My name is chukwuani William emeka I’m a good and respectfull player I know you can’t say how good you are only people around you do but to how good someone is, is to give that person an opportunity to prove it please i need only an opportunity to save my future. 09037480206

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  23. Good day sir, am a footballer but i will need your help with God help to achieve my goal.accepting me into your club /academy will be a great treasure also having the required skills and potential of mid- fielder i will really appreciate you if you consider me.Thank you.
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  24. Good day sir,my name is virtuous napoleon and am 15 years old.it is heart desire to play football and i pray to God always for him to direct me.but i came to realize that He actually use men to help men.sir i hope you can give me a chance to tell you more about myself .my email address sir([email protected]) and my my number 08024687862.God bless you sir

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  34. My name is ucheñna Jonathan I am 15 years
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  35. My name is obi Moses chidozie I hail
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  47. Am a mother of this kid named marvelous I want him to become a footballer we named him marvelous all because of football, I hope I day I will see him in stadium, with Jessy and sneaker that my dream pls sir help me 0917716097 his 4years

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  50. Please help out if other ways will not be open to us football will be one of the way out for us football is what i don’t jok with if you let us in we will play with our heart and we work together to form a team others will be afraide of if you let us in we will do our best 09028466871

  51. I choose football, cause I knew is what God put in me. I can’t let it out of my life, I dream about almost every time seeing my self a professional footballer. Please I need help to further my self to the greatest point in a football. If I should have a sponsor to lead me I promise to abide by the law and the rules and regulation.