How the Player Development Score works
Last updated 29 September 2026
We would rather be honest and useful than flattering. Here is exactly how the free assessment turns your answers into a score - what the score is, and what it is not.
What the score is
Your Player Development Score is a 0-100 summary of your current development, built from what you tell us about your level, age, training and game. It is not a prediction and not a probability of turning pro. It is a snapshot of the day you took it, to help you see where you stand and what to work on next.
The eight factors we weigh
Each factor is scored from your answers, then combined with the weights below. Current level and playing up for your age matter most because they capture years of real-world selection.
Why these factors, and why weighted this way
- Level counts most. The level you play at is decided by coaches, leagues and academies rather than by your own ratings, so we give it the largest weight.
- Playing up for your age counts next. Being picked to play above your age group is another sign set by coaches, so it carries the second-largest weight.
- Mentality matters. Coaches value work rate, resilience and coachability, so it has a meaningful weight. Because it is self-rated, we compress the ratings, as people tend to rate themselves generously.
- Late developers are not marked down. Youth selection is known to favour players who mature early, which is why bio-banding exists. If you tell us you are a later developer, we adjust your physical score up so size and speed for your age do not drag your score down.
- Relative age has a small weight and can reverse. Being born early in the school year tends to help in youth football, so it adds a little; late-born players who are already at level are treated as a positive.
Reading your band
| Score | Band | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 90+ | Very advanced | Your answers describe a player already competing at a high level for your age, with strengths across most corners. The most useful next step is to keep working on your lowest corner and to get regular, honest feedback from your coaches. |
| 75+ | Advanced | Your answers show a strong all-round base for your age and level. Focus on the corner that scored lowest and on playing at the highest standard you can reach. |
| 60+ | Established | You have solid foundations in several corners. Pick one or two areas to improve, train them consistently and retest in a few months to see what has changed. |
| 40+ | Developing | You are building your game, with clear areas to improve. Consistent, structured practice and regular match time are the most useful things to add right now. |
| 20+ | Early stage | You are early in your development. Enjoyment, regular practice and plenty of time on the ball matter most at this point. |
| 0+ | Foundations | You are at the start. Playing often, having fun and learning the basics are the best foundations for football at any level. |
What this score is not
These weights are our own scoring rules. They draw on published work about player development, but the score has not been tested as a predictor of the level anyone reaches, and we do not present it as one. We cap scores short of 100 and describe every band conservatively.
Self-reported and measured
Every part of the score comes from the answers given: playing level, age, training and the player's own ratings. None of it is measured. The 90-day plan adds four standard physical tests that are measured, with set procedures, and keeps those results apart from the score. How the measured tests work, and what they are compared with.