How to become a football coach?

In a football club or in a federation, the football coach’s decisive mission is to bring the players of his team to the top level. To become a good football coach, you obviously need to have a number of basic qualities. However, this was not enough, and it was mainly thanks to his hard work that the future football coach became a seasoned professional, capable of leading his team on the field to the best results.

Guide to Becoming a Professional Football Coach

If you want to get into the professional world of football and become a football coach, here is a guide to help you see more clearly. Diplomas, football coach training, coaching salary and specific training, we tell you everything.

The skills to become a football coach

If you decide to embark on a career as a professional football coach, start by taking stock of yourself.

• You are a football fan, for you football is life.
• You are unbeatable on just about everything related to football.
• You have excellent technical knowledge of the practice of football.
• You have an analytical mind and know how to build a global strategy (tactical elements that are vital in the creation of a game plan).
• You know how to spot the team’s game strategy when you watch a football match.
• You have a minimum of pedagogical flair: you like to pass on your knowledge.
• You have good interpersonal skills and are particularly sociable.
• You know how to manage stress and keep calm without going up the towers.
• You have a great capacity for work and concentration.

Do you tick all the boxes? Well, done! Then the job of coach is certainly for you.

Football Coaching Diplomas

To become a football coach, you must climb the different educational ladders in order to obtain the various football diplomas. Here is a summary of the diplomas you need to hold to work as a professional coach. Be careful to distinguish between the activities of a football coach and those of a sports educator. These two professions have notable distinctions and very different challenges.

The C.F.F: Federal Football Certificates

Before becoming professional coaches, most candidates for national diplomas first go through the “educator” box. The French Football Federation (FFF) provides training to obtain these certifications intended to become “federal educator“. Any FFF licensee can follow a training course to obtain a CFF.

There are several levels of certification:

• SBB 1, CFF 2, SBB 3: safely welcome children, lead and lead sessions for 7- to 10-year-olds (U9 – U11), 12- to 14-year-olds (U13 – U15), young people from 15 to 18 years old (U17-U19) and adults (Seniors).
• SBB 4: contribute to the development project of a club.
• CFF goalkeeper: to supervise and improve the various audiences in the context of goalkeeper training and competition.
• CFF futsal: to supervise the practice of Futsal.
• CFF athletic trainer: implement adapted athletic preparation content at each age level (U9-U11/U13-15/ U17-U19/ Senior).
• CFF Beach Soccer: Supervise young people and seniors for the practice of Beach Soccer.

There are also specializations for disability in football and urban football.

National diplomas: professional football coaching certificates

Unlike the SBB, football coaching diplomas are professional certificates for those who wish to make it their profession.

Good to know: the “Health & Safety” and “Refereeing” certifications are mandatory to register for each of the following certificates.

The BMF: Football instructor’s certificate

The BMF is the first diploma that allows you to be paid as a coach (or in this case, as a football instructor). It is a level 4 diploma (BAC). The holder of the BMF can coach a youth team at regional level or a senior R3 team.

He may also carry out the following activities:

• Contribute to the management and organization of the reception of licensees.
• Supervise the different teams of a club at the departmental level.
• Lead and develop the club project in the fields of sport, education and associations.

BEF registration file:

BEF 2025 (individual)	Download the registration form
BEF 2025 (club)	Download the registration form

The DES (higher coaching diploma) or DESJEPS (higher state diploma in football)

This level 6 diploma (BAC+3) can only be obtained if you already hold the BEF.

The holder of the DESJEPS carries out various missions:

• Coach a youth team playing at national level if the club has an approved Training Centre or a senior team at N3 or N2 level.
• Prepare a strategic football performance project.
• Piloting a football training system.
• Leading a sports project.

4th certificate in the scale of professional coach diplomas, you must hold the DESJEPS to obtain it. It is a level 6 diploma (BAC+4).

The holder of a BEFF can train an approved Training Centre of a professional club or a Federal

The football trainer has various roles:

• The organization and management of a high-level Training Center.
• The development of the potential of high-level players.
• Preparing young players for high-level competitions.

At the end of the training and after obtaining the certificate, you will hold a UEFA Youth license.

The BEPF: professional trainer’s certificate

The BEPF is the most qualifying diploma of the coaching diplomas. In other words, you can aspire to become the coach of the most prestigious teams when you hold the BEPF. Level 7 diploma (BAC+5), it will lead you to a UEFA Pro license. You must hold a DESJEPS to obtain it.

Your missions (if you accept them) as a BEPF holder are:

• Supervise a team playing in Ligue 1, Ligue 2 or National 1;
• To be the manager of a technical staff of a professional football club and even of a national team.
• Coaching and managing the first team in a professional football club or national team.

The Professional Football Coaching Certification

The path to becoming a football coach begins with the acquisition of a football coaching diploma.

Understanding how to become a football coach often involves committing to rigorous football coach training programs, which can last from a few months to several years. Football coaching degrees, such as the BEPF, usually require several years of experience and training.

Training to become a professional football coach

To join the staff of a professional club, you will have to follow one or more training courses. These training courses, validated by the FFF, are provided by private organizations specializing in the preparation of future professionals in the world of sport and sports coaches in particular.

It is possible to follow a football coach training course online, but a face-to-face part is necessarily mandatory, especially when it is necessary to follow the football coaching courses.

The certification courses to become a football coach offer a privileged gateway to the professional world of football. Indeed, the teaching teams of sports training centers are made up exclusively of teachers from the football professions such as coaches, former players, managers of football clubs, football recruiters, sports journalists, etc. They accompany you throughout your studies and teach you the real keys to the job of a football coach. Alternating practice and theory, the training courses to become a professional coach are a real lever to integrate the professional sports and football fields.

How much does a football coach earn?

The salary of a football coach varies according to several criteria, the two main ones being:

• Seniority in the profession.
• The importance of the club: the remuneration is not the same if you coach in a regional club or a national club.

A beginner coach will receive from €1,500 to €3,000. If you coach the France team, you can add a few zeros: we’re counting on you to give us the info!

You are now ready to embark on the training to be a football coach. One last thing: you can choose to specialize as a professional coach and move towards certificates as a football goalkeeper coach, futsal, physical or mental trainer or technical manager.