What scouts look for: 5 Key Points to Talent ID by the Professionals

Talent identification is the holy grail of scouting.

The ability to unearth a diamond in the rough, whether it be spotting the next Lionel Messi playing in a kids game on a Saturday morning or the new Jamie Vardy slugging it out on muddy semi-pro pitches.

The PFSA was set up to give a voice to the men travelling the globe in search of football’s next stars.

Talent Identification is one of the training courses it provides which attracts a wide range of football people from former players and club scouts/coaches to agents and fans of Football Manager.

So who better to ask for tips on how to get scouted and what football scouts look for when spotting talent for a football club.

Here five PFSA members from around the world give their top five key identifiers of talent.

We have mined the views of professional scouts working in the Premier League, Bundesliga, MLS and national associations, who scout at youth, first-team and international level.

To ensure you get the most out of their experiences, we have asked each one to speak about talent identification in specific age groups and situations, starting from age 5 all the way up to the first-team.

For a chance to get seen by a scout attend one of our 2025 UK football trials.