For many around the world, soccer isn’t just a sport, it’s a way of life and a career. For young athletes with dreams of playing at the highest level, elite soccer boarding schools offer a reliable and established pathway to achieving their full potential as soccer players.
In this article, we explore what elite soccer boarding schools are and what services their programs provide to families and athletes, answering the following questions:
- What are elite soccer boarding schools?
- What services do elite soccer boarding schools provide?
- What is the duration of elite soccer boarding school programs?
- Why enrol in an elite soccer boarding school?
- How does the admission & scholarship process work?
- What are some top programs worldwide?
What are Elite Soccer Boarding Schools?
Elite Soccer Boarding Schools are specialized soccer training programs for teenage boys and girls that combine high-quality academic programs with top-tier soccer training. These programs are generally formed through a partnership between a professional soccer club or organisation providing top-level soccer training services and a renowned educational institution providing a recognised academic program.
The programs focus on shaping not only skilled players capable of competing at the highest level in soccer, but also well-rounded individuals that graduate with a high-school diploma such as the American baccalaureate or International baccalaureate.
While a successful professional soccer career can be fulfilling and lucrative, it is essential for young athletes and parents to keep in mind the importance of furthering their child’s education while they pursue their talent and passion for soccer. In this respect, elite soccer boarding schools provide an ideal pathway and environment for talented players.
What services do Elite Soccer Boarding Schools provide?
State-of-the-Art Facilities for Soccer Training & Academics
At elite soccer boarding schools, athletes train and study in state-of-the-art facilities provided by the professional soccer club and the school. These institutions invest in world-class training pitches, cutting-edge fitness centers, advanced sports science labs, and top-quality classrooms with the latest technologies. These services put players in ideal conditions to be successful athletically and academically.
Often times, the soccer facilities where players practice are the elite training complexes of the professional soccer academy. This means that players will practice where the rest of the club’s youth players train. These centres offer perfectly kept soccer fields for training sessions and matches. They also provide indoor spaces and auditoriums for tactical training and game analysis.
The training centres boast elite sport-science labs and fitness and weight-rooms with the latest high-tech equipment for soccer physical fitness and strength-training. Trainers tailor fitness regimens to individual needs, focusing on agility, endurance, and injury prevention.
After intense sessions, players benefit from recovery areas equipped with ice baths, massage tables, and physiotherapy resources. The training centres are also fully equipped with restaurant and cafeteria services. They provide nutritious meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday before and soccer training and classes. The eating and common spaces are also the ideal space for athletes to get to know others in the residence. They will find other local players of the academy from their team and players from other academy teams.
The educational institutions are generally the best high-schools in the region. These have the resources to provide excellent academic programs and maintain strong partnerships with professional soccer organizations. The schools are provide modern educational facilities and classrooms equipped with the latest learning technologies to ensure an optimal and safe learning environment for student-athletes. They are often strategically placed nearby the soccer training facilities to minimize travel times for athletes.
Experienced Professional Soccer Coaching & Academic Teachers
At elite soccer boarding schools, the soccer coaches and school teachers are of the highest quality as required by the institutions that employ them. These seasoned professionals bring a wealth of expertise and experience to the training ground or to the classroom, developing and shaping players’ skills, mindset, and performance on and off the pitch.
During the program, players are surrounded and coached by elite, experienced soccer coaches of the professional club. These coaches are officially certified, with many years of experienced training the best young players at the academy. They have often worked with many players that have gone on to make successful professional soccer careers.
As coaches, they have often graced international tournaments, professional leagues, and national teams. And sometimes, the coaches are even ex-professional players themselves or graduates of the professional academy’s youth team. Players and families can be confident that they will receive top-level coaching, advice and guidance during the programs.
School teachers at the educational institutions are also trained and experienced in working with student-athletes. They understand the demands placed on players by the professional academy and the courses and workload are adapted to fit the players training programs.
Additional support and personalized guidance are also provided by the educational institutions and teachers in partnership with the professional soccer academy. This is done to ensure that student-athletes stay on top of their work and are academically successful, while be able to train at the highest level and nurture their soccer talent.
Individual and Collective Training & Competitive Matches
At elite soccer boarding schools, the soccer training schedules of the players include a complete plan to develop their potential. The weekly training schedule includes collective training sessions at the professional academy complex with official youth teams of the academy.
The programs often provide individual, personalized training sessions with the elite coaches. This is done to work on specific aspects personal to their game, which is often not offered at local clubs. And, to get advice to improve the small details of their game.
Competitive matches with the academy teams are also organised regularly to test themselves against other top-level opponents. Gym, fitness and recovery sessions are integrated into the players’ weekly routine depending on the training and match schedules of the week.
Private and Luxurious Accommodation Residences
In the realm of elite soccer boarding schools, even rest becomes a strategic advantage. Players participating in these programs find themselves in exclusive, well-appointed residences—a home away from home. Players generally stay in the same accommodation that houses the other elite players of the professional soccer academy, an ideal place to socialize and make friends with teammates.
With regard to living arrangements, the accommodation residences generally offer comfortable twin rooms that athletes share with a teammate. This setup is designed to ensure privacy and camaraderie during the program. The bedrooms have a private bathroom and shower, internet-access and individual desk space for homework and studying. The residences also provide a strict separation between boys and girls accommodation.
The student-residences also offer shared spaces for eating, relaxing and recharging. This is where strong bonds are made with other teammates during the program. These shared spaces include games rooms with table-tennis tables, Playstations, televisions and other entertainment. Common spaces are also available for doing school work or relaxing with others from the residence. A cafeteria with in-house chefs prepare tailor-made meals to fuel the athletes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The residences offer 24/7 security and supervision by a team of sport coordinators who are there to assist the athletes. The residence are also strategically located — nearby to the soccer training pitches and fitness centers.
What is the Duration of Elite Soccer Boarding School Programs?
Players can generally attend programs for a various durations depending on their personal situation and their needs. The program duration can also vary among soccer boarding schools. However, the most common duration of a soccer boarding school program is 3 months, 6 months or 11 months (one entire-academic year). In some cases, players even stay multiple academic years.
How Much Does An Elite Soccer Boarding School Cost?
The fees to attend elite soccer boarding school programs can vary due to various factors such as duration of the program, the location and the country where the program is organised, the quality and reputation of the soccer and academic institutions. However, in Europe, prices generally range from 15,000 € for 3 months to 70,000 € for a full academic year. It is, therefore, usually good to count around 6,500 € per month to cover all living, academic and athletic expenses. But, this largely depends on the institutions, with some institutions asking less that this amount per month.
It is worth noting that in some cases scholarships are possible which can help reduce the soccer boarding schools fees. This is often treated on a case-by-case basis and should be discussed directly with the program coordinators. Payment plans are offered allowing families and athletes to settle the amounts in several transactions, without being required to pay the full amount at once.
Why Enrol in an Elite Soccer Boarding School?
The experience of practicing and studying as a student-athlete at an elite soccer boarding school offers several benefits and advantages to aspiring players:
- Professional Soccer Coaching: Players are coached on a daily basis by professionals who have trained some of the best players of the club. The academy provide access to experienced coaches and intensive training programs to help players nurture their talent and achieve their potential.
- Holistic Development: These schools recognize that success on the field goes hand in hand with personal growth. Students learn discipline, teamwork, and leadership—skills that extend beyond the game and that will serve them their entire lives.
- State-of-the-Art Facilities: From pristine training pitches to cutting-edge fitness centers and academic classrooms, the schools invest in creating an environment conducive to athletic and academic excellence. Players can train at the highest level without compromising their studies and education.
- Professional Soccer & College Pathways: Many elite soccer boarding schools have strong connections with a network of professional soccer teams, colleges and universities. They prepare students for both a professional soccer career if they have the ability, as well as academic success thanks to their elite athletic experiences and recognised high-school diploma.
The General Admission Process and Scholarships
Elite soccer boarding schools follow a straight-forward admission process to join their program. The process generally begins by submitting a form to request more information on the Boarding School’s website or the website of an official partner of the soccer Academy.
Upon submission of the request, the information is reviewed and more information can be requested by email to better understand the family and the student athlete’s needs and expectations.
Next, an online call is setup with the program directors to answer specific questions and to present in more detail how the boarding school program works. If both the family and athlete and the professional soccer club agree to move forward, additional documents may be requested to complete the necessary administrative formalities, such as a copy of the player’s and family members identification documents and the player’s soccer and academic CV.
Video material of the prospective student-athlete may be requested in order to evaluate the player’s current soccer level. Documents regarding the athletic and academic program are shared, and visits to the sport facilities and educational institution may organised before the start of the program.
Finally, once the previous steps are completed, a contract is signed specifying the duration of the program, the services included in the program and the program’s price.
Top Programs Worldwide
Notable Elite Soccer Boarding Schools
- Atlético de Madrid Soccer Boarding School: The official Boarding School program offered by one of Spain’s finest professional clubs, Club Atlético de Madrid. Located in Madrid, Spain, talented boys and girls can train and study like a real player of the Academy for a period of 3, 6, or 11 months.
- La Liga Academy Boarding School: The official Boarding School program offered by Spain top-first and second professional soccer division. Also located in Madrid, Spain, La Liga provides boys and girls with an elite environment to develop their potential and to compete against various professional academies in Spain.
Final Remarks
Elite soccer boarding schools can be an ideal option for parents with a talented boy or girl seeking to achieve a professional career in soccer, all while combining elite training with a respected and valuable high-school education. The top-quality athletic and academic conditions provide a well-suited, international environment for student-athletes to nurture their talent and to develop life-long skills. And the elite soccer training program providing an established pathway to achieving their full potential as a soccer player.
