Build your profile8 min
The Soccer CV a coach values
Coaches don't recruit a personal number: they recruit the LEVEL you've played at (club tier + league + minutes). Your CV must translate your path into their map.
In soccer there is no UTR or individual rating in the World Athletics style. The coach infers your level from your club tier and your league, not from a number. The rankings they watch are club- and competition-based: TopDrawerSoccer (TDS, with its commitments tracker), SoccerWire, ECNL (the women's — and now men's — reference), MLS NEXT (men's academy) and US Club/US Youth National Leagues.
What they recruit on (in order):
- Level of competition played — the #1 factor.
- Position-specific film: first touch, passing under pressure, 1v1; by role, finishing (forwards), vision/switching play (midfielders), 1v1 defending and aerial duels (defenders), shot-stopping/distribution/command of box (keepers).
- Soccer IQ, off-the-ball movement, defensive work rate.
- Measurables: height/weight, speed, vertical, stamina.
- Goals/assists and minutes at your level (context-weighted, not absolute).
- Academic profile + NCAA Eligibility Center clearance (a hard gate).
| Level (men, indicative*) | Approx. tier |
|---|---|
| D1 top / Power 4 | Elite MLS NEXT / top-ECNL / pro academy, international |
| D1 mid-low | Strong MLS NEXT / ECNL / high league or solid European academy |
| D2 / NAIA | Strong club/academy starter, high regional level |
| D3 | Competitive varsity + solid club |
*Recruiting heuristic, not an official NCAA classification: verify with your source and with each coach.
On your CV as a European: name the club, its category/division, the academy level (e.g. top-league academy or regional federation league), senior/reserve minutes and national/regional call-ups. And attach full-match video at that level.
Sources
- College Soccer Recruiting / Commitments & Rankings — TopDrawerSoccer
- Soccer Scholarships: How to Get a Soccer Scholarship — NCSA
- NCAA Soccer and International Recruiting: How Does Eligibility Work? — SoccerWire
- Top 5 Things College Coaches Want in Soccer Highlight Videos — TraceUp
Last reviewed: June 2026
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