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Data as a key tool at the service of the game in modern football

The round table “Data Analysis at the Service of the Game”, moderated by Sara Carmona (Head of Data at YouFirst) and David R. Sáez (CEO of Sports Data Campus), brought together diverse profiles such as José Ramón Sandoval, Miguel Ángel Ferreira (Sporting CP), and Ibai Gómez, aiming to provide a comprehensive perspective on the role of data in professional football.

The discussion explored different approaches and helped bridge the potential generational gap, showing that all roles within the game share a common language: performance-driven analysis.

From a coaching perspective, Sandoval emphasized that data should not dehumanize the player, highlighting a key idea: “data is a narrative.” For him, competing without data is no longer possible, but its true value lies in interpretation and context, ensuring that information is filtered to avoid player overload. He stressed the importance of adapting insights to both individual and team contexts, using data as support for decision-making and communication within the squad.

Meanwhile, Miguel Ángel Ferreira provided a more structural view of data usage within a club. He explained how data was first introduced in the scouting department, later evolving into a dedicated analysis unit capable of producing reports that deliver actionable insights for both players and the club. Today, data is also applied in areas such as load management, injury prevention, and physical performance monitoring, becoming an integral part of daily operations.

From a hybrid perspective, Ibai Gómez highlighted the importance of data in his transition from player to coach. His methodology relies heavily on both opponent and self-analysis, supported by a technical staff with specialized data roles. His playing experience also allows him to better understand the emotional context of the dressing room, promoting clear, accessible communication where data enhances rather than restricts player creativity.

Overall, the round table reinforced the idea that data is not an end in itself, but a tool that serves the game. Its real value lies in the ability of professionals to interpret, contextualize, and communicate it effectively, always respecting the essence of the player and the dynamics of football.

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César Azpilicueta highlights the importance of data and video analysis in modern football

César Azpilicueta began his career in the youth academy of Club Atlético Osasuna, making his debut at 17 years old in the Copa del Rey. Since then, he has witnessed a significant evolution in the use of data analysis, moving from basic tools to full monitoring of players and their performances.

For César, data is key for analyzing opponents, allowing teams to identify advantages that can be decisive in a match. He also combines this information with video analysis, focusing especially on players in their opponents’ zones. In his experience, data also helps corroborate performance after games or generate discussion in cases of conflicting opinions. The key is to find a balance between objective and subjective information, avoiding data overload.

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Azpilicueta has played in multiple positions and encourages his teammates to experiment in different areas, discovering new strengths. He himself started as a forward and, over time, has occupied roles such as right-back or center-back, both in three- and four-man defensive lines. Video analysis is essential for identifying the details that motivate these positional changes.

Finally, César emphasizes that the most important aspect of analysis is to provide context to the information, ensuring it is clear, concise, and progressive to properly measure development and the implementation of strategies.

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SkillCorner transforms football analysis with automated tracking and advanced metrics

French company SkillCorner, established in 2016, has become a global reference in football data analysis thanks to its fully automated broadcast tracking system, capable of capturing data without any human intervention.

With coverage of over 130 competitions, including the Premier League, MLS, and even the NFL, the company stands out for the high reliability of its data and its continuous technological development.

Unlike traditional providers focused on events such as passes and receptions, SkillCorner adds a new analytical layer based on game context, detecting in real time elements such as passing lanes, off-ball runs, and parallel movements, both in offensive and defensive phases.

Its model is structured around three main data categories: physical data, game intelligence, and XY tracking, enabling a comprehensive performance analysis. Among its most innovative metrics are explosiveness, time to reach sprint speed, and agility, with a strong focus on change of direction, including feints and deceptive movements, going beyond traditional linear analysis.

Additionally, the platform evaluates performance through volume and intensity, providing detailed rankings, percentiles, and advanced contextualization of each action. This enhances accuracy in defining player profiles, reducing talent loss in scouting processes and improving the identification of specific roles, such as the explosive winger profile.

In off-ball situations, SkillCorner also delivers valuable insights by contextualizing actions such as pressing, duels, and movements that break defensive lines.

From a scouting perspective, the platform enables recruitment simulations, allowing users to filter players by profile, league, or playing style, while incorporating cross-competition and multi-season comparisons. Each selected player can be supported by an automated visual report, generated from XML data, summarizing key attributes within real match scenarios.

Looking ahead, the company is set to introduce major updates across its three core areas, including a new approach to measuring maximum speed and further development of “playing under pressure 2.0”, expanding analysis levels and contextual depth in pressure situations.

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Esteban Granero, Artificial Intelligence as a Competitive Advantage in Football Decision-Making

He begins by explaining his early interest in data, which emerged after suffering a serious knee injury. He has a particular focus on the transfer market, both from a sporting and financial perspective, seeking potential profitability.

He outlines his view of the club as a business tool, where players are treated as assets to be bought and sold. In this context, he sees technology as an opportunity to make the entire process more efficient. Olocip was born from the research of this approach, evolving over the past 10 years into the company it is today.

From a human perspective, the goal is to mirror the process carried out by artificial intelligence: observing, understanding patterns, and attempting to predict what may happen in the future, always considering the possible pathways ahead.

By combining data with predictive models, it is possible to reduce uncertainty, placing greater emphasis on future projections rather than solely on past data—although these predictions are not infallible. There has been a significant evolution in data collection, from manual observation in earlier stages to today’s automated and autonomous systems, where cameras and image-based technologies capture detailed information.

Once the data and algorithms are developed, Olocip creates tailored solutions for its clients based on their specific needs. It is important to emphasize that these tools are not designed to replace human decision-making, but to support and enhance it.

Additionally, artificial intelligence helps improve accessibility and interaction in a more efficient way, significantly enhancing the user experience. As a result, information can be presented more clearly, allowing clubs to access it in a more intuitive and engaging manner.

The goal of AI is not merely to describe information, but to explore ways of providing solutions and increasing the reliability of decision-making processes. AI serves the sports industry and must continue to adapt in order to gain the trust and support of those who are still distant from it. It holds enormous potential, although it also has certain limitations.

Even so, its evolution is exponential, and it will gradually begin to perform tasks that currently seem unthinkable. Those who understand how to use AI and recognize its importance will find it easier to continue developing professionally, while those who do not may gradually fall behind. Ensuring access to information will be key to avoiding significant disparities between individuals.

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Roberto del Campo explores decision-making in football through data analysis

Roberto del Campo delivers a session focused on the importance of data applied to training and its direct impact on performance, highlighting that while squad quality influences results, it is the daily processes that make the difference between teams with similar characteristics.

During his presentation, he emphasizes that data informs, but it is the coach who ultimately makes decisions, underlining the importance of interpretation and contextual understanding in professional football.

He also introduces the concept of “TAC ROM” (Tele Assistant Coaches), inspired by VAR, proposing a system that could support coaching staff in real-time decision-making from the bench.

From a technological perspective, he highlights the differences between GPS and tracking systems, stressing the need to correct discrepancies, apply scientific methods and reduce data bias.

Roberto del Campo also focuses on the need for individualized analysis, explaining that football demands vary depending on position, physical profile, opponent, playing style and match context, requiring tailored approaches.

He concludes by stating that comparison in football is complex and must always consider the context of the game, emphasizing that data alone is not enough without a proper methodology. In this regard, he notes that data does not change the cards you are dealt, but it does change how you play them.

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Sevilla FC hosts the institutional opening of the 10th edition of the Sport Data Forum


The event continues to establish itself as a key meeting point for data, technology innovation and education in the sports industry

Sevilla FC hosts the institutional opening of the 10th edition of the Sport Data Forum, an event that continues to establish itself as a benchmark in Big Data, artificial intelligence and innovation applied to sport.

The session features José María Cruz Gallardo, Head of Sports Innovation at Sevilla FC; David Sáez, CEO of Sport Data; Miguel del Campo, Programme Director at Sport Data Campus; and Enrique Palenzuela, Marketing Director at UCAM.

David Sáez opens the session by thanking Sevilla FC, UCAM, the sponsors and especially the students, highlighting the key role they play in the development of the project.

José María Cruz emphasizes that this tenth edition takes place in a pivotal moment for the industry, noting that it is “the year in which the context is changing the most from one Sport Data Forum to another”, mainly due to the evolution of artificial intelligence. He also highlights the importance of relying on technology while maintaining the value of a strong human team.

From UCAM, Enrique Palenzuela highlights the collaboration with the club and states that the Sport Data Forum is “the leading Spanish-speaking event in the data industry”. He also underlines the growth of the educational project, now reaching 17 international master’s programmes developed together with Sport Data Campus in Spanish, Portuguese and English.

Miguel del Campo closes the institutional session by thanking the students for their presence and Sevilla FC for its commitment to an event that reaches its tenth edition, reinforcing its position as a leading platform in data education in professional sport.

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Liberty University experiences an immersive Program at Sevilla FC through the Medical Academy

March 19, 2026 · Sevilla FC Innovation Center

The Sevilla FC Innovation Center has hosted a group of 21 students from Liberty University (Virginia, USA) for four days, accompanied by two professors from the university and a representative from Alandis, as part of the Medical Academy Program: an immersive educational experience designed to bring the real-world operations of an elite football club’s medical services closer to future sports health professionals.

A Window into Professional Football from the Inside

During their stay at the Sevilla FC Training Ground, participants had the opportunity to learn first-hand about the protocols, methodologies, and technologies that the club’s medical department applies on a daily basis with its players. From injury prevention to recovery processes and sports performance management, the program offered a comprehensive, applied view of medicine in high-level football.

The students were accompanied throughout the program by the Sevilla FC Sports Innovation team, who acted as hosts and guides during the sessions, facilitating access to the facilities and direct contact with the club’s professionals.

Education, Innovation, and International Reach

The Medical Academy Program is one of the initiatives of the Sevilla FC Innovation Center aimed at transferring knowledge between the world of professional football and the academic sphere. Through this type of experience, the club not only strengthens its international projection but also consolidates its position as a global benchmark in sports innovation and specialized training.

The collaboration with Liberty University, one of the largest private universities in the United States with a broad offering in health and sports sciences, represents a further step in Sevilla FC’s strategy to establish strong ties with top-tier academic institutions worldwide.

The Innovation Center: A Bridge Between Football and Academia

The Sevilla FC Innovation Center was born with the mission of serving as the meeting point between high-performance sports innovation and the sector’s demand for knowledge. Programs like the Medical Academy reflect that mission: bringing the unique experience of Sevilla FC beyond the pitch, making the know-how accumulated through decades of elite-level work available to universities, institutions, and professionals around the world.

This experience adds to those that other universities and international institutions have previously carried out through the Innovation Center’s various programs, consolidating a unique educational model that combines theory, practice, and direct access to the reality of professional football.

Does your university want to experience something like this?

If you are part of a university or academic institution and would like to find out how to design an immersive educational program with Sevilla FC, visit sevillafcinnovationcenter.com and discover all the available experiences, or write to us at [email protected].

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Sevilla FC participates in the European launch of the BIO-AGE 2.0 project in Hannover

Hannover, March 16–17, 2025

Sevilla FC took part this week in the first in-person meeting of the BIO-AGE 2.0 project (ERASMUS-SPORT-2025-SCP, Project No. 101243778), held at the facilities of Hannover 96 on March 16 and 17. The meeting brought together the six partners of the international consortium: Warta Poznań (project coordinator), the Polish Football Association, the University of Physical Education in Poznań, and the MSH Medical School Hamburg.

What is BIO-AGE 2.0?

BIO-AGE 2.0 is a project co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Sport program. Its goal is to make talent identification and player development in European grassroots football fairer and more inclusive. Its key tool is the systematic integration of biological age (maturation) into scouting, selection, and training processes, going beyond the traditional approach based solely on chronological age.

The project, which will run from 2026 to 2028, is structured in three phases: methodology development, implementation in academies and grassroots clubs, and dissemination at the European level.

The role of Sevilla FC

Sevilla FC participates as an active partner in all three phases of the project, contributing its expertise in player training and development. Its activities will include training workshops for coaches and technical staff (Train-the-Trainer), the implementation of bio-banding strategies in daily training sessions, the organization of multiplier events with grassroots clubs and families, and contributions to the development of the BIO-AGE Hub digital platform.

This participation reinforces the commitment of Sevilla FC’s Innovation Center to innovation based on applied science in youth football, as well as its dedication to the comprehensive and equitable development of young talent at a European level.

More information about the project: bio-age.eu

Are you interested in learning more about BIO-AGE 2.0 or exploring potential collaborations?

Sevilla FC’s Innovation Center is available to answer any questions or open discussions with clubs, academic institutions, and grassroots sports organizations. Contact: [email protected]

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The CEO of Sports Data Campus participates in the radio program `Contigo Sevilla´

The official radio program of Sevilla FC, Contigo Sevilla, featured David Sáez, CEO of Sport Data Campus, during its broadcast on Thursday, February 19, in an interview focused on the impact of data analysis in professional football.

During the conversation, Sáez highlighted the evolution of data usage within clubs over recent years, transitioning from a complementary tool to a structural element in sports decision-making processes. In this context, he emphasized the key role that analytics departments currently play in areas such as scouting, squad planning, and performance evaluation.

The discussion also addressed the growing need to incorporate specialized profiles capable of interpreting objective information within sports management teams, in a setting where talent identification increasingly relies on advanced analytical models.

Within this framework, the program presented:

The 10th Edition of the Master’s in Big Data Applied to Football Scouting, organized by the Sevilla FC Innovation Center in collaboration with Sport Data Campus and UCAM, which will begin on March 26, 2026.

This program is designed for scouts, analysts, coaches, and sporting directors who want to integrate strategic data use into the processes of talent identification and evaluation in professional football.

Spaces are still available!

Additionally, the new edition of the Sport Data Forum 26 was announced, taking place on the same day at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium. The event will bring together professionals, clubs, and companies from the sport-tech ecosystem for a day dedicated to analyzing the impact of artificial intelligence and advanced analytics on the sports industry.

Don’t miss the opportunity to attend!

Listen to the full interview here: https://sevillafc.es/sevilla-fc-ott/videopodcast/contigo-sevilla-jueves-19-febrero-10-0

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Inspirando a los líderes del fútbol del futuro

El Sevilla FC continúa consolidando su presencia internacional a través de su responsable de proyectos internacionales, quien participa de forma recurrente en los programas formativos de la Federación Polaca de Fútbol (PZPN). Esta colaboración, que ya cuenta con una trayectoria de éxito, busca exportar el modelo de excelencia de la cantera sevillista a los técnicos y directivos polacos.

Como pilar central de esta colaboración, se organiza una estancia exclusiva en la Ciudad Deportiva José Ramón Cisneros Palacios, específicamente diseñada para que los diferentes perfiles profesionales que se están formando en la federación vivan una experiencia profesional real en una organización de élite, bajo la estructura de los programas Academy.

¿Qué son los Programas Academy?

Iniciativas diseñadas para trasladar el modelo deportivo y de negocio del Sevilla FC a clubes, federaciones y universidades, etc. Su objetivo es desarrollar el talento mediante la metodología y valores que formaron a campeones del mundo.

Este programa ofrece una visión 360º de la gestión deportiva del Sevilla FC, gestionada a través del Innovation Center y fundamentada en sus cuatro pilares: conocimiento, emprendimiento, formación y transformación.

–Rasgos distintivos: Destaca por su capacidad de personalización, adaptando los contenidos y el programa a los intereses específicos de clubes, federaciones u organismos internacionales.

–Formación integral: Incluye conferencias especializadas en las diferentes áreas y vertientes del club, impartidas por los profesionales del sector.

–Experiencia real: Los participantes interactúan con diferentes protagonistas dentro de un entorno profesional, viviendo la dinámica diaria de un club de élite.

–Desarrollo de liderazgo: Además de la parte técnica, se enfoca en la formación de líderes capaces de tomar decisiones estratégicas y gestionar equipos eficientemente.

–Metodología de aprendizaje: Combina lecciones teóricas con la observación de entrenamientos en vivo. No es un aprendizaje de ejecución, sino de análisis y networking supervisado por profesionales de élite para asegurar la consolidación de los conceptos.

–Personalización y Adaptabilidad: Las formaciones son asequibles para todos los públicos y se adaptan a las necesidades reales del sector.

–Certificación de Prestigio: Los participantes reciben una certificación oficial expedida por el Sevilla FC.

Nuestro objetivo es el desarrollo del talento, ¿y el tuyo?.

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Sevilla FC and Tanzanian Club Young Africans SC sign cooperation agreement

The president of the Tanzanian club, Hersi Ally Said, visited Sevilla FC’s facilities to formalize the sports collaboration agreement.

Sevilla FC and Young Africans SC have reached an agreement through which the African club joins the World Club Alliance Program. Under this partnership, Sevilla FC will provide specialized support and guidance aimed at fostering the growth of Young Africans SC, with a particular focus on developing its coaches and young academy players.

Founded in 1935, Young Africans SC is the most successful club in Tanzanian football, with a record of 31 league titles, including the last four seasons, in which it also achieved the double by winning the National Cup. The club is also recognized for its strong commitment to training and promoting local talent.

In January, the president of Young Africans SC, Hersi Ally Said, visited the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium to sign the agreement and held an institutional meeting with Sevilla FC’s president, José María del Nido Carrasco.

“For Sevilla FC, it is a pleasure to begin this collaboration with Young Africans SC and continue expanding our international network of partnerships with clubs, leagues, and federations, sharing our experience within the football industry. On this occasion, we are partnering with the most decorated club in Tanzania and we hope to contribute to the development of their youth talent program as well as the growth of their various business areas, being one of the clubs with the largest fan base in Africa,” stated Sevilla FC president José María del Nido Carrasco.

Hersi Ally Said added: “We are extremely proud that one of Spain’s most important clubs is joining forces with the biggest club in Tanzania, East Africa, and Africa as a whole. This partnership will be crucial in further advancing Young Africans’ development. Both our country and club strongly focus on grassroots development, and Sevilla FC has shown great expertise in nurturing players and guiding them to the highest level, always prioritizing the players’ best interests. We have full confidence in Sevilla and Spanish football, and this agreement represents a very valuable opportunity for our country.”

The Tanzanian club president also highlighted the club’s sporting achievements: “Young Africans is the most successful club in Tanzania, with 31 league titles, nine more than the second most successful club historically. We have also achieved notable success in national and continental competitions, reaching the final of the CAF Confederation Cup in 2023 and the quarterfinals of the CAF Champions League in the last two seasons. In terms of history and results, we are a reference point both in Tanzania and across Africa.”

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Alexis Candy becomes a new sponsor of Sevilla FC Academy

Alexis Candy, a brand of Ukrainian origin founded in Spain in 2024, is currently experiencing strong expansion across the Andalusian region thanks to its innovative approach within the healthy food sector. The company offers a fresh alternative to traditional confectionery, producing fruit-based sweets that are 100% natural and free from preservatives and colorants, with the aim of encouraging healthy consumption habits from an early age.

This partnership strengthens the shared commitment between Sevilla FC Academy and Alexis Candy to promoting balanced nutrition in grassroots sport, understood as a key pillar in the holistic development of young footballers. Through this agreement, both the players and the technical staff of the Sevilla FC youth academy will benefit from an initiative aligned with values of well-being, education, and athletic performance.

With this sponsorship, Sevilla FC and Alexis Candy embark on a joint journey focused on nurturing young talent, educating athletes in healthy lifestyle habits from the grassroots level, and driving innovation within the gastronomic sector, demonstrating that taste and well-being can go hand in hand in the sporting environment.