Book excerpt: Professional soccer is an exciting and challenging sport to play. It also gives players the chance to proudly represent their country and heritage as they travel around the world. However, the ability to become a professional soccer player takes hard work, discipline, and dedication to the sport. You need to learn to be fast, flexible and focused on a soccer field while thousands of people are watching every move you make. This will require you to obtain extensive knowledge and training from someone who is an experienced soccer player and knows everything there is to know about the game. This book was written by such a person. The information you are about to read will advise you on all aspects of how to become a professional soccer player. You will first learn about the elements needed to become a successful soccer player and then how to market yourself as an agent. The four main elements of soccer success are having physical readiness, tactical & technical competence, mental strength, and nutrition. These elements all play a role in making you an outstanding soccer player out on the field. Obviously, you will need to be physically ready if you're going to be able to handle the intense physical exertion that soccer entails. This will involve performing vigorous exercise training regimens to get you in top shape for the game. Tactical & technical competence is about understanding the various soccer positions and how they are useful for your team. These positions include forward, striker, left midfielder, right midfielder, stopper, defensive midfielder, goalie, and more. The book will teach you how to build mental strength to enhance your cognitive flexibility and responsiveness, which are skills needed in soccer. Most importantly, there will be great emphasis placed on the importance of good nutrition. After all, a professional athlete must maintain a strict nutritious diet if they are going to excel at soccer. Once you learn the best foods to eat and when to eat them, you will have more energy and strength on the field. Remember that professional soccer is a business like anything else. You may have fun playing the game but as a player, you will be the employee of the team owner or manager. If you want to get hired by a team and go play for them, you basically need to market yourself as if you're applying for a job. This means creating a resume that outlines your experience and skills in all types of athletics. By the time you finish reading this book, you will know what it takes to become a professional soccer player. You might decide that you've got what it takes to succeed as a player or you may not. Either way, let this book guide you along the way.