Football

Football at Whitgift commenced almost 30 years ago and has developed into one of the School's core sports. The aim of the football programme is to develop and inspire all participating pupils whilst instilling the importance of respect and responsibility - life skills that will stay with them forever.

Whitgift School supports all its pupils in reaching their full potential through a dedicated team of coaches and teachers, including ex-professionals and UEFA-qualified coaches.  The School boasts 26 teams ranging from U11-U18 age groups and abilities from 1st/A team to 5th/F team, participating in various competitions and cup fixtures. Over 500 pupils represent the School across the teams, with a challenging fixture card against local independent and state schools through to national and academy standard fixtures. Whitgift also has strong relationships with professional academies such as Chelsea, Fulham and Crystal Palace.

Emphasising holistic development, the school organises tours and training camps to expose students to different footballing cultures, and provides opportunities to form friendships for life.

In the past eight years, Whitgift pupils have achieved 14 National Titles in both the Independent Schools Association and the English Schools Association. Additionally, 11 pupils have earned international caps, representing England, Wales, Republic of Ireland, Denmark and Germany.

The school takes pride in its alumni, with 24 Old Whitgiftians playing professional football at various levels, including the Bundesliga, Premiership, Championship, and League Two.

Notably, Jamal Musiala, a Bayern Munich and Germany player, has achieved remarkable success winning three Bundesliga titles, the Champions League, the German equivalent of the FA cup three times, as well as gaining 20 German Caps all at the age of just 20, having already played in the UEFA Euro Finals and the FiFA World Cup.

Other notable alumni include Callum Hudson-Odoi, forward for Nottingham Forest. Callum has won the Champions League and Europa League with Chelsea, and in 2019 he became the youngest ever England international to play in a competitive match.