Arsenal forward Leandro Trossard is already laying the groundwork for his post-playing career, despite being far from finished on the pitch. At 29, the Belgian international has taken steps to prepare for life after football, even as he continues to contribute for both club and country.
During the recent international break, Trossard played a full 180 minutes and found the back of the net for Belgium, proving he still has plenty to offer on the field.
However, the former Brighton star has been proactive in securing his future beyond his playing days. While at Brighton, he began pursuing coaching qualifications and has since earned his UEFA A License. Trossard reflected on the challenges of the course, particularly the demands of session design and the theoretical aspects.
Trossard also highlighted the difficulties coaches face, including refereeing during training sessions. “When you’re the coach, you have to make the calls. Players might moan when the ball goes out of play, but it’s not always easy to get those decisions right yourself!”
As Trossard gets older, his interest in football analytics has grown. He now values the data and insights that help him improve his performance and recover more effectively. “The older I get, the more I enjoy the analysis side of things. I never used to care about that, but now I want to know my stats and how I perform in games. It’s also useful for recovery, especially with our tough schedule.”
Trossard reflected on how much the game has evolved since his early days in Belgium, where there was little focus on data and analysis. “Back then, we just went on the pitch, trained, and then went home!”
