AI May Transform Soccer
Mason O'Donnell
| 26-01-2024
· Sport Team
The current buzzword worldwide is AI, commonly known as Artificial Intelligence. How will it impact the world of soccer?
Introducing new technologies and utilising technological tools are set to transform soccer training methods and sports in general.
This shift may assist teams in making tactical adjustments, and personnel changes more frequently and swiftly during matches.
Like the potential changes AI could bring to various industries worldwide, soccer is not immune to its influence.
Picture this: the 2028 World Cup final, during the decisive period, where the head coach receives a warning not from a human assistant but from an AI data analytics assistant.
This AI analyzes real-time statistics and tactics, giving the coach ideas for the game's final phase. The assistant holds an extensive database with over a million pieces of information on the current game and tens of billions of records from past matches.
Regardless of whether the head coach is a seasoned figure like Pep Guardiola or a rising star, when presented with concise yet comprehensive data and logical analysis from the AI, the coach decides whether to heed the AI's "last-minute tactics and personnel recommendations" or dismiss them.
This scenario isn't a far-fetched novel. Top sports clubs globally benefit from new technology and massive data resources.
Those embracing AI in soccer are convinced that front-line managers increasingly rely on the analysis and insights provided by these virtual technologies.
AI systems, capable of analyzing data more efficiently than the human brain, possess remarkable learning abilities. The AI is evolving daily, understanding logical inferences, associative extensions, emotional ups and downs, and even human interaction patterns.
It's becoming increasingly challenging for head coaches to ignore AI's anticipation and response design for various future game scenarios.
While AI plays a data analysis assistant role in professional sports, the critical decisions still rest with the head coach, but the learning ability of AI is undeniable.
Shortly, AI could help teams analyze potential error risks, with some experts claiming AI can even preemptively eliminate passing errors before the ball is passed.
Virtual reality technology aids in scanning players' observational abilities during training, offering valuable insights into how players read the game and adapt to changes on the field.
Soccer players, including Liverpool's Alexander-Arnold, are embracing new technologies, using wearables as training aids to monitor improvement.
Clubs like Borussia Dortmund already combine various AI models with elite training in their youth systems, making it a closely guarded trade secret.
The next frontier in soccer evolution lies in building an AI model to understand how the sport works.
AI can create models and scenarios for training preparation, whether facing a defensive or attacking team.
For instance, if a lower-tier team draws a powerful opponent like Manchester City in the FA Cup, AI can simulate practice sessions against their formidable offence.
Though replicating real-life stadium conditions in virtual training may have limitations, sports science thrives with AI's assistance.
Professional soccer, a leading international sport, is leveraging internet-related technologies, from virtual reality (VR) to augmented reality (AR), with the increasing involvement of AI.
Many foresee AI's eventual dominance in professional sports, with the transformation of soccer on the horizon.