I finished a sports science degree with a dissertation on pressing, but every analyst job asked for experience I didn’t have. I took the free Performance Analysis Fundamentals course on Softfootball, then coded ten of my local club’s matches and put a short portfolio together.
When Harbour City advertised a Performance Analyst role, I applied with the portfolio link on my CV. They asked me to code a half of football during the interview, which I’d practised many times by then.
My advice: build something you can show. A small portfolio beats a long list of skills.