How to make a football CV that gets noticed
Most football CVs are bad. They list height, weight, position, and “hardworking team player.” The scout reads it in four seconds and moves on.
A good CV tells a story with numbers. It shows what kind of player you are, not just what position you play. It gives the scout a reason to watch your video or invite you to a trial.
Here is how to make one that works.
Keep it to one page
Scouts look at dozens of CVs. Some look at hundreds. They will not read your second page. If you cannot fit it on one page, you are including things that do not matter.
One page forces you to decide what is important. That decision itself tells the scout something about you.
Start with the basics
Put these at the top:
- Name
- Date of birth
- Position (primary and secondary)
- Current club and team
- Height and weight
- Strong foot
- Nationality and passport
This takes maybe a quarter of the page. The scout can see in two seconds whether you are the right age and position for what they need.
Add your season stats
This is where most CVs fail. They say “midfielder” but not what kind of midfielder. They say “scored goals” but not how many.
Include:
- Matches played this season
- Goals and assists
- Minutes played
- Average rating (if you track it)
If you play centre-back, goals and assists matter less. Include clean sheets, aerial duels won, or whatever your position demands.
The point is specificity. “15 matches, 3 goals, 7 assists, 1,200 minutes” tells me more than “attacking midfielder with good vision.”
Show your strengths with evidence
Do not write “good passer.” Write “passing accuracy 82% (self-tracked over 20 matches).”
Do not write “fast.” Write “timed sprint: 11.2 seconds over 100m.”
Do not write “leader.” Write “team captain for U17 season.”
If you do not have numbers, get them. Track yourself. Time yourself. Count your successful passes in a match. The act of measuring makes you more credible than players who just claim things.
Include your development trend
This is what separates a good CV from a forgettable one.
If you have been rating yourself after matches, you can show improvement over time. “Defending rating improved from 2.8 to 4.1 over 8 weeks.” That tells a scout you are coachable. You respond to feedback. You get better.
A player who tracks their own development stands out. Most do not bother.
PlayerVO does this automatically. You rate yourself after each match, and it builds a CV from your data. But you can also do it manually in a spreadsheet.Add a video link
A CV gets you considered. Video gets you invited.
Include a link to your highlights. YouTube or Vimeo, unlisted is fine. Keep it under 3 minutes. Put your best moments first. Scouts often stop watching after 30 seconds if nothing catches their attention.
Label the video clearly: “Johan Eriksson - CM - U17 Highlights 2025/26”
What to leave out
- School grades (unless applying to US colleges)
- Hobbies unrelated to football
- “References available on request” (they will ask if they want them)
- Long paragraphs about your passion for the game
- Photos of you holding trophies
The scout does not care that you like music or that you won a tournament when you were 12. They care whether you can play now.
The “why sign me” line
At the bottom, one sentence. What makes you different?
Not “hardworking team player.” Everyone says that.
Something specific: “I read the game early. My coaches say I intercept passes other players do not see coming.”
Or: “I am the player who tracks back in the 89th minute. Fitness tested at 2,400m on the yo-yo test.”
One line. Make it true. Make it yours.
Example structure
Here is what a one-page CV might look like:
Top section: Name, DOB, position, club, height, weight, foot, nationality
Stats section: Matches, goals, assists, minutes, average rating
Strengths section: 3-4 specific strengths with numbers or evidence
Development section: One line showing improvement over time
Video link: YouTube or Vimeo URL
Contact: Email, phone, parent contact if under 18
Why sign me: One sentence
That is it. Clean. Scannable. Specific.
Common questions
How long should a football CV be?
Should I include my school grades?
Do I need professional photos?
What if I have no stats?
Build yours now
PlayerVO generates a one-page CV from your match ratings. Free for any player. Or build your own using the structure above.Either way, start tracking. The players who measure themselves are the ones who improve.