Adult football success in Sweden can, besides the training in the club, be advanced through the Swedish football associations regional (U15-17) and national (U15-U21/23) team systems or through elite sport schools at the upper secondary school. These systematic talent development environments are of central interest in this study. Research on talent development environments has had a focus on football academies and environmental success factors (e.g., Cooper, 2021; Larsen et al, 2013). However, to date, research undertaken has not in any greater extent taken into consideration non-club environments and athletes views on how useful those environments have been for their development into elite football players. Thus, in this paper the aim is to explore the meaning and significance of non-club talent development environments by scrutinizing elite football players experiences of participating in such environments and their importance for their development as football players. The material in this study is based on interviews with 13 male and 12 female present and former elite football players between 22-35 years of age. The results showed that being selected at age 15 as one of 16 players in one of the 24 district squads (a two-year process) is, for both women and men, mostly a question of being confirmed and has little or no importance with respect to their football development. The analysis of players experiences of upper secondary elite sport schools (2-3 trainings/week) revealed a more mixed picture. Half of the men and women considered it, although they trained more hours, of little importance for their development. However, those players who have participated in elite sport schools organized by an elite club highlighted to a greater extent the importance of the school environment. The players perceived the national team activities (foremost U15-U19) as professional and serious, but since most players club environment had the same or better quality it had little significance for their development as a football player. Overall, the analysis shows that the importance of non-club environments for developing as a football player are dependent on the players background and present level (e.g., elite vs. grassroot, youth vs. senior team). In conclusion, the players stories suggest that the value of non-club talent development environments appears to be of minor importance for their path towards elite football. The essential environment for the players is the club environment.
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