What type of elite youth soccer players can apply to train in Germany or Spain in our international football programs?
We are looking for talented and dedicated youth soccer players who are committed to their personal and professional growth. We are a unique Pro Residency Academy that allows North American players to live and train in Europe and compete against Bundesliga and La Liga Clubs. This is a professional youth soccer player development program. Therefore, it is a requirement that you are serious about soccer and your future in the sport.
Is this a pathway to become a professional footballer?
Yes, this is a pro pathway for exceptionally talented youth soccer players who want to become professional athletes.
Have players from America successfully signed pro contracts with your help?
Yes, we have youth soccer players from all across the USA and Canada (from San Diego to New York and Washington State to Florida) who are approved for our highly competitive teams, earn official trials, and have signed contracts to get paid to play soccer in Europe.
How old does a youth soccer player have to be to join the International Soccer Academy and train in Europe?
You must be at least 15 years old to join our Integrated Academy teams and work on improving your soccer skills. The maximum age is 23 years old.
Please click on FC Schalke 04, Hertha Berlin, and Sportwerk for more information on how talented youth soccer players can live, train, play, and be scouted in Europe.
What youth soccer clubs have players played at before joining International Soccer Academy?
The elite youth soccer players who have been approved for our program have played at MLS Academies, MLS Next clubs, ECNL clubs, and even from smaller youth soccer clubs five hours away from the nearest pro club.
What are the youth soccer coaches like at Hertha Berlin and FC Schalke 04?
The Hertha Berlin and FC Schalke 04 Integrated Academy head coaches all report directly to the Bundesliga’s club Academy Director and have UEFA A licenses (UEFA is the governing body for football in Europe) — and, most importantly, are all totally dedicated to developing the talents of our small roster of players.
What does this mean?
Unlike in the USA, our head coaches and assistant coaches ONLY have this one team … not two or three teams to coach. We believe this allows our coaching staff to really focus on the best player development for each and every player as well as balance the pressure and intensity of a highly competitive season and prepare detailed match plans to create a winning team mentality.
Also, our team rosters are very small. Who wants to travel to Europe be a player on a big squad and sit on the bench or not even suit up for a match? Our elite international football program provides real, intense training, and players, if they perform well, maybe offered official trials at pro-European football clubs.
What is the recruitment process for a player to join the International Soccer Academy?
First, you need to be scouted and approved for the International Soccer Academy Integrated team by the club scouts and our Cofounder Eddie Loewen to join the program and be offered a roster spot.
VIRTUAL Scouting: After applying through our website, our scouts, along with the Pro Club scouts will select elite players who they believe to have a high potential to represent their Club and face competition.
LIVE Scouting: International Soccer Academy and our pro partner clubs have scouts attending many of the top elite youth soccer showcases and tournaments nationwide.
We scout the best talent across the United States – both in urban communities as well as remote areas. Click here to be notified if In-Person Player ID sessions are available near your area.
Why is International Soccer Academy the best program for elite youth soccer players who want to train in Europe?
Or in their words, “How is International Soccer Academy different than other football programs or camps for elite youth soccer players?”
It is simple. Authentic player development programs in Europe are very rare. In fact, we are the only program that is comprehensively integrated into a professional Bundesliga club. Most elite youth soccer camps or European programs for footballers work with the Escola (school) or Community divisions of the professional clubs — and do not have Academy coaches involved. Some soccer camps or residential programs are not even attached to a professional club at all. International Soccer Academy works with the soccer side of professional clubs — at the highest level.
The bottom line is that scouts and head coaches of European football clubs come to see our players train and watch games.
You can see the difference! Visit our Instagram or Facebook to see how International Soccer Academy’s programs are better – with happy soccer players living the dream of training in a professional environment.
If you have a question, just email us or ask in the chat window below!
What is an Integrated Academy?
An Integrated Academy is literally what it sounds like! The team is integrated into the professional soccer club’s academy.
Our teams are on the TEAMS pages of the professional soccer club. Just click the images above to look at the coaches hired and managed by the professional soccer club; the methodology is the same, and the uniforms are the same….It is truly an authentic, integrated player development program.
What is it like?
Imagine you are a talented player living in San Diego, California. Your closest MLS Club is about 2 hours away, but all you want to do is train like a pro athlete and immerse yourself in soccer in a top-tier pro soccer club.
We have done to make this possible – in Europe.
Through our partnerships with Pro Clubs in Europe, our Integrated Academy Team players’ lifestyle closely mirrors that of a professional football player, with competitive games weekly. Players train on the same fields as the other academy teams. They are held to the same high expectations and are scouted regularly.
Our partnership with Arizona State University allows you to keep up with school while having the flexibility to train and play during the day. In summary, Integrated Academies break the barriers of geography and give North Americans a chance to live and train like European Academy players.
Click here to know what it’s like to play and train in Germany.
What is the duration of the Academy Programs?
Our Integrated Academy programs for elite youth soccer players to train in Germany are for 9 months — starting in August or September and ending in May, with one month off for the winter holidays.
Our shortest program is the Gap Year sessions in Spain and the Sportwerk Academy in Germany, where you can choose between 3-month and 9-month programs.
How many days do your players train?
Since we are an elite program for top athletes, all our players train 6 days a week.
Will I become a professional footballer after my year in Europe?
There is no doubt that training in successful European Clubs – under their tried and tested methodologies and UEFA A Licensed Coaches will help you take your game and individual player development to the next level.
By taking this unique opportunity, you are receiving the best environment to be able to become a professional football player. However, even the best athletes don’t always reach the top. That is the hard reality of such a competitive sport like football. We can guarantee that each player will become the best they can be.
At International Soccer Academy, we pride ourselves in working with all our players individually to craft their unique player pathways. Our leadership team, as well as resident advisors and coaches, do our best to place you in your desired pathway after graduation. We also have a vast network of clubs and colleges that receive player updates monthly, as we genuinely want all our players to achieve their dreams.
How many players have you placed on professional teams?
We have had over 70 trials at European Clubs with 18 contract signings. Others have gone on to receive D1 Scholarships, playing soccer in the United States.
What is the objective of this experience?
We realized that a lot of elite youth players who live in remote areas sometimes have to drive up to 5 hours to reach their closes MLS Club. We want to level the playing field by giving American talents the opportunity to live in Europe, integrate with the best academies, and as a result, become more well-rounded and versatile players.
Highly motivated players often want to be fully focused on soccer without any distractions. We believe in curating the best possible conditions for success. As a player, all you have to bring is your focus and dedication.
Can parents visit?
Soccer parents are always welcome at International Soccer Academy. Parents can come and stay in the same hotel where the players live on the FC Schalke 04 campus or at a nearby hotel to the players’ residence in Berlin.
Soccer parents can come to attend practice, come to games, join the team for meals, meet the coaches, and see firsthand how wonderful the program is.
We understand that soccer moms and dads are vital to a player’s success. We want to work with soccer parents to help their players reach their goals.
What can’t parents do?
Parents cannot spend the night in their player’s room — they must have their own accommodations. Sorry.
