Are you a college soccer coach who is prospecting international student-athletes? Take a look at this article to know EVERYTHING about your next Brazilian recruit.
As an international college soccer recruiting agency, we know EVERYTHING regarding your next recruit, especially if this recruit comes from Brazil.
First topic: Brazilian student-athletes will barely have a competitive high school GPA to be admitted in good academic schools.
Why?
Private high schools in Brazil, which provide the best education to students, have high academic standards and provide very difficult study materials, quizzes, and tests to students to prepare them to take “ENEM”, a nationwide test similar to SAT.
“ENEM” test has high standards and serves as the main entrance to public Brazilian universities, which are free of any type of cost.
So, do not expect to have a good player with a GPA greater than 3.0, if he completed his high school in Brazil.
Second: having a GPA lower than 3.0 does not mean he will not achieve good results in a US College.
Actually, this is the opposite. Considering that private high schools in Brazil offer high academic standards, Brazilian students usually perform better than most Americans and internationals coming from other countries.
I am a live example of the statement above. When I left Colégio Santo Agostinho, one of the best high schools in Brazil, I had a 2.3 GPA. When I first arrived at Lindenwood University, I thought I had to study a lot more to get higher grades. In fact, the same amount of time I used to study in High School was enough to graduate with Summa Cum Laude honors with a 3.94 GPA.
So, if you are bringing a Brazilians to your university, be prepared to see them grind to achieve successful results! (AND THEY WILL!)
Third: if the Brazilian player you are prospecting played club level, at any time of his career, do not hesitate to sign him ASAP and with a very good scholarship!
Why? These kids who played at youth club level in Brazil were exposed to every single type of high level tactical, physical, and technical practice sessions on earth. Playing club level in Brazil is not the same thing as in the USA. Most of the families receive transportation and food support while their kids are competing at high level competitions.
On top of that, a spot at a Brazilian club is EXTREMELY COMPETITIVE!! Usually, at a club tryout, one out of a thousand players is selected to play for the club.
Four: many coaches complain that “the game speed is not high enough and this is the reason why I will not recruit these players or trust their level based ONLY on the video”.
Well, Brazilian soccer is quite different than the American soccer. We prefer pacing the game instead of rushing to get the ball to the attack and have a “ping pong” game, having the ball coming back and forth. This is why usually the pace of the video is not as high as it is in the United States.
We have had many similar responses during our existence as a recruiting agency with players who actually got All-American and All-Conference prizes, such as: Matheus Zonfrilli, Erick Guimaraes, Aline Milene, Tamara Queiroz, Larissa Caldas, Nara Estefania, and etc. So, Brazilian players ADAPT easily to different scenarios.
Therefore, if your plan is to bring a Brazilian player to your roster, consider the abovementioned tips and you will DEFINITELY understand more the Brazilian background, helping you to come up with a WISER decision.
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