With clubs and agents from every corner of the world using TransferRoom, football's transfer marketplace, making a dream move to another country has never been easier.
There has never been a better time for footballers to explore the world and seek the best and most fulfilling opportunities, on and off the pitch.
The end of the season is a time for reflection for many players. Some are being released and many are starting to consider their next move. Others will be thinking of giving up the professional game entirely.
Whether you fit into one of these categories, or are simply looking to take your career in a new direction, there have never been more opportunities all around the world for players of all levels and ages.
For every superstar example like Jude Bellingham - who moved from England to Germany's Borussia Dortmund as a 16-year-old, before going on to join Real Madrid - there are thousands of other players who have found success or extended their careers by leaving their domestic market behind.
For free agents in particular, there is the chance to look beyond your current circumstances and outside your comfort zone for an exciting new challenge that will develop you as a player and as a person.
Here are five reasons why playing and living in a new country could be right for you, right now:
1. Learn new styles of play, tactics and culture. Staying in one country can restrict your football education. Playing overseas exposes you to fresh ideas and different ways of playing and thinking that develop your all-round game and, in turn, make you attractive to more clubs. Instead of restricting yourself and your ability to grow as a player, you open yourself up to different opportunities and at the same time make yourself more marketable. Returning as a more well-rounded player could help you land a move to a better club back home eventually, if that’s your long-term plan.
2. Play at higher or more enjoyable levels of competition. The football pyramid in some countries is so strong that it's hard for most players to reach the very top. But someone who has not been able to play for trophies and fame in one territory may well find that they can in another. For example, Christian Burgess (pictured below) left Portsmouth in the third tier of English football to join Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium’s top division, who finished in first place in the league and qualified for the UEFA Europa League. Instead of being at one level in one country, and having to stay there or move down, you can find new challenges and new goals in a new football environment.
From England's League One to the top of Belgian football: Christian Burgess
3. Broaden your network of contacts. Moving abroad does not only offer different opportunities for your career in the short term. It also gives you the chance to broaden your opportunities for whatever comes next. By making connections outside your home country or market, you increase the range of options for your long-term future, whether it be your next move, or life after football. Instead of having only one place to look for the next challenge, you create a wider network of contacts and create a reputation for being open to opportunities everywhere.
4. Lead a better lifestyle. Leaving a more established football country or league does not necessarily mean you will earn less or have a poorer lifestyle. In contrast, clubs from emerging leagues in areas like the Middle East such as new TransferRoom members Al Fateh SC are ready to pay more than those in lower tiers of the game elsewhere in the world. And don’t forget that tax rules and other regulations vary, so that what might look like a reduction in salary might actually represent an increase in the money that ends up in your bank account. Instead of settling for what home has to offer, look abroad for the chance to maximise your earning potential and living conditions.
The best place for networking in the global transfer market. 🤝
— TransferRoom (@transferroom) June 15, 2023
President Saad Al-Afaliq says @FatehClub can go direct to decision makers and make transfer talks quicker and easier on a global scale after becoming the first Saudi Arabian club to join TransferRoom. pic.twitter.com/Wms7VD3jGG
5. Create lifelong memories. Playing abroad is about far more than trying something new on the pitch. It’s the chance to embrace different experiences in a range of areas: language, culture, food, weather and overall philosophy of life. Instead of wondering what it would be like to work and live in another country, do it, and give yourself and your loved ones unique opportunities to expand your horizons.
How to land your dream international move
There has never been a better time for footballers to explore the world and seek the best and most fulfilling opportunities, on and off the pitch.
We're here to help you make your dream move happen.
More than 700 clubs, in 100+leagues in over 60 countries, are actively using TransferRoom to recruit players. Decision-makers at those clubs connect and work directly with the expert Trusted Agents in every region of the world to provide the best opportunities for players everywhere.
Are you a pro player ready to explore a new opportunity abroad? Register for free access to TransferRoom today.
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