Amateur or Professional? - Confirm Your Status and Know What Action to Take Now

Are you an Amateur or a Professional football player?

Hello my friend, I guess you are a football player that's why this post cut your interest. Anyway, you've done well. I am one person who believe every footballer should have relevant knowledge of the career he or she is pursuing. As they say: "knowledge is power!"

Yeah, with the right knowledge you are more likely to make better decisions. Knowing what to do in line with your present status is the key to making progress... and that's what you can achieve by reading this article.

My name is Benson Chukwueke, I am a football marketing and management consultant and CEO, GreenHunters Sports International. I am here to help you find your path to a successful football career. In case you have any further inquiry after reading, call or WhatApp: +234(0)809 877 2556.

According to FIFA there are over 300 million players in football across the world. Of course not all are professional players. Basically, there are two types of players playing the game in organised football associations: Amateurs (Ama -Players) and Professionals (Pro-Players)

FIFA defines professionals as players who have a written contract with a club and are paid more for their footballing activity than the expenses they effectively incur. All other players are considered to be amateurs (some of them are paid for playing, some not)

What's the Difference?
1. Amateur Player
An Amateur player is not under contract therefore, isn't legally in employment. So, you cannot be paid a salary, whatever remuneration you receive is regarded as allowance.

By implication, it means the amateur player isn't the property of the club he is curently registered with. You may decide to leave the club and join another at will, without contravention of your amateur status.
The pay.
According to Quora, an amateur football player will hope at best to be provided with a football kit to wear and if they manage to arange a match with a big team in a packed stadium earn a meagre commission for the game, but they are for the most part unpayed athletes. They rely on other source of income to survive.

2. Semi-pro Player
The third category, Semi-pro player is a glorified amateur player, who may have some kind of bond or agreement with an academy or amateur club. That means you cannot join another team or sign a pro-contract without compensation as stipulated by the bond or agreement you entered with the club.

In reality, there's nothing like a semi-pro player status. You are either an Amateur or a Professional player. Fifa doesn't recognize anything like Semi-pro status and such bond or agreement cannot be treated in the court of arbitration, but could be taken to regular court.

3. Professional Player
A Pro-player is under contract with a Professional club and must work according to the terms of the contract. A transfer fee is agreed between your current club and the new club trying to buy over the contract; unless of course, you are is Free Agent.

As a professional player under contract you cannot just walk away from your employment or to sign another contract with a new club.  This may cause Fifa disciplinary committee to ban you.

The Pay
According to Quora, a professional soccer player is an employee from a private entity which is Football Club registered in the Football Association of the nation where he/she plays. Thus, the professional footballer is part of the labor force, earns a salary and pays taxes like any other regular worker. would.

Finding your category is essential in order to know what you have to do to move forward or make progress in your football.
For An Amateur or Semi-Pro Player
i) What to Put in Place First:
- Your profile photo in your current or last club jersey.
- Have a relevant and verifiable career statistics from lower divisions, which are considered semi-pro or amateur divisions by your national FA or FIFA regulations
- You have a promotional video clips;
- Your name and profile is found on official club webpage or on national FA database.

ii) Target action: You are without a contract. You are looking for a professional contract from a Professional club next season. You do not have an agent or representative and you do not know where to find one.

Apply to a scouting program or open trial camps where international agents and scouts attend. Make a telephone call or send intro messages to several agents and propose that if he or she can represent or manage your career.

For A Professional Player
i) What to Put in Place First:
- Your profile photo in your current or last club jersey.
- Your CV with a relevant and verifiable career statistics;
- Your name and profile is found on relevant football databases,  transfermarkt.com or soccerway.com.
- You have a promotional video clips;
- You are under a contract with a Professional club or a free agent (free from the last professional contract with a club).

 ii) Target action: You are without contract and you are looking for a new club or just a better deal next season. First, connect with international agent(s),  Apply to professional market posts, contact a club representatives and  club scouts.