The rise of football analytics – how data is changing the game

Football analytics have come to the fore in recent years, thanks to the increased availability of accurate information, useful algorithms and general fan interest. Managers and trainers have always used data to build up their strategies and routines, but it’s only recently that all of this information has truly gone mainstream.

A part of this is simply due to how much easier it is to collate data and analyse it in today’s computer-driven world. In previous decades, the only way that managers could closely analyse their team’s and their rivals’ performances in matches was to review footage. Sir Alex Ferguson, perhaps one of the greatest managers of all time, credited his powers of observation as one of his greatest talents as a manager.

In today’s connected digital landscape, the computers and algorithms do all of that observing for us. Matches are filmed from multiple angles, players wear sensors and GPS monitors that record their every move, extensive statistical databases can be consulted in an instant, and more. All we have to do is examine the data – and AI can now do that for us too.

This article will examine the rise of football analytics. We’ll discuss how data is changing the game and peer into the different areas where football analytics is having the greatest impact.

Sports betting

Betting has always been a part of professional football. It’s a way for players to feel even more connected to the game, to satisfy superstitions or even just to show a little support for their favourite club. Most casual betting has always been done based on gut instinct or team loyalty. The rise of football analytics has changed that.

Bettors who are looking for a sportsbook to test out their new insights into the sport have plenty of online sportsbooks to select from. Often, online sportsbooks are differentiated by the welcome bonuses that they offer. Free bets have become a huge attraction, especially for new bettors who aren’t fully confident yet. When looking for the best free bets, no deposit sportsbooks, a betting guide is the place to start.

Many of these guides are also sources for up-to-date news and statistical information on players and teams. This really demonstrates how important football data has become for fans.

Football Manager

From 1993-2023, EA’s FIFA series of games dominated the football video game market. But it wasn’t the only football simulator available – Football Manager was launched in 2005 and has outlived its rival. FIFA is a traditional sport simulator where players control the players on the pitch. Football Manager, however, is all about what happens behind the scenes.

Football Manager puts the player in charge of a football team. All of the business of running of team is a part of the game. The player balances the needs of the team, player stats, costs, contract negotiations, relationships with fans and sponsors, and more.

While it has always had a deeply dedicated fanbase, Football Manager has been steadily increasing its popularity over the last 10 years. The current fascination with data and analytics has attracted a wider spectrum of players. The game has even been used as a teaching tool by manager training programs.

While Football Manager hasn’t yet had an impact on the sport, it has created a more educated and aware audience. People who play Football Manager are more likely to understand the data analytics that go into managing decisions. This can increase their enjoyment of the game, since they feel like insiders.

Talent scouting

The importance of extensive data and using modern statistics through algorithmic models in scouting talent is most famously associated with baseball. Based on Michael Lewis’s book, the 2011 film Moneyball tells the true story of how the Oakland Athletics became a top-tier team on a small budget by employing modern analytics in their scouting.

Sports analytics have also become a core part of talent scouting in football. Identifying potential talent is infinitely easier today than it was before the advent of AI algorithms for data collection and analysis. Clubs are able to narrow their searches by age, skill set and by statistical areas in which their team is lacking. They can compare players from leagues at all levels across continents in seconds.

This is an important development, since it opens up the recruiting field. Instead of just following traditional recruiting avenues, like the academies, and sending scouts to watch junior teams play, clubs are able to find the best players, even if they’re hidden from traditional routes.

Wearable technology

Wearable technology has rapidly gone from an interesting novelty to an essential piece of the analytics puzzle. Every league from the EPL down now employs some form of wearable technology to provide managers and trainers with accurate data.

GPS monitors in harnesses are now commonplace in football worldwide. They measure how far and how fast players run, with this data being used to identify training needs. Other stats need other types of sensors. Calf sensors are used to track the number of shots a player takes, speed/power of shots, number of passes and amount of time in possession of the ball. Foot sensors from startups like Jogo are largely still in development but aim to capture the same data as both the GPS harness and the calf sensor.

Conclusion

Football analytics add an extra layer to the world’s favourite sport. They can help players, managers and fans understand the sport better. They give insight into strengths and weaknesses. Sport becomes a science. Everything on the pitch and the training ground can be recorded, studied and improved upon, and strategies can be tailored exactly to each opposing team.

Data is powerful but it also gives us a false sense of control. We can use it to our advantage and base our play or betting strategies on our analysis. But we also have to accept that sometimes, a little bit of magic happens on the pitch and we’ll never really be able to predict the outcome of every match.