Future of data and technology in football

Future of data and technology in football

This course is part of Maximum Performance and Technology in Sports Specialization

Instructor: Marisa Sáenz

Included with

Learn more

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Explore how AI, ML, and tracking technologies will shape the future of football analysis.
Understand LLMs, wordalisation, and automated scouting workflows.
Discover how supervised and reinforcement learning can power next-generation tactical and performance systems.

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

8 assignments

Taught in English

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Learn more about Coursera for Business

logos of Petrobras, TATA, Danone, Capgemini, P&G and L'Oreal

Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Maximum Performance and Technology in Sports Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 4 modules in this course

This course explores the emerging technologies that will shape the future of football analytics, from advanced tracking systems and live data pipelines to machine learning, LLMs, and AI-driven decision tools. Learners will understand how innovations such as computer vision, skeleton tracking, body-orientation models, and contextual load monitoring are transforming the way clubs analyze performance, manage fatigue, and make in-match tactical adjustments.

The course also examines how AI is revolutionizing scouting and recruitment: from automated LLM-generated scouting reports and narrative “wordalisation,” to web scraping, social-media analysis, and multimodal data pipelines. Finally, learners will explore cutting-edge developments in performance AI, including reinforcement-learning concepts inspired by AlphaZero, supervised learning for tactical tagging, and AI assistant-coach systems that recognize patterns across thousands of match situations. By completing this course, learners will gain a forward-looking understanding of how machine learning, automation, and next-generation data systems will redefine competition, recruitment, coaching, and performance across the football industry.

Discover how granular tracking of player movement—down to body orientation—offers new windows into decision-making and defensive mastery. This module unpacks both the opportunities and challenges of skeleton data, revealing how advanced tracking is poised to revolutionize tactical understanding and player evaluation.

What's included

4 videos4 readings2 assignments

4 videosTotal 18 minutes

The Hidden Dimension: How Body Orientation Shapes Football Decision-Making3 minutes
Beyond Coordinates: Why Traditional Metrics Miss the Orientation Dimension4 minutes
Beyond the Dot: How Skeleton Tracking Is Revolutionizing Football Data4 minutes
The Invisible Game: Why Defensive Performance is the Hardest Thing to Evaluate in Football6 minutes

4 readingsTotal 160 minutes

Welcome reading5 minutes
Complementary Resources on Evaluating Body Orientation in Football: Impact on Decision-Making and the Limits of xT Without Context50 minutes
Complementary Resources on Skeleton Tracking in Sports: Data Collection Challenges, Dataset Scale, and the Path to Accessibility45 minutes
Complementary Resources on How Advanced Tracking Data Reveals Elite Defensive Performance60 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 60 minutes

The rise of skeleton data30 minutes
The rise of skeleton data30 minutes

Dive into the real-time world of live football analytics. Learn about current technological limits, the quest for more actionable in-game data, and how innovations in physical load tracking and tactical flagging are set to influence everything from substitutions to strategic adjustments on the fly.

What's included

6 videos3 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt

6 videosTotal 26 minutes

Understanding Live Football Data: Types, Collection Methods, and Current Applications4 minutes
The Gap Between Potential and Reality: Limitations and Challenges of Live Data in Football4 minutes
Real-Time Monitoring of Player Fatigue: Enhancing Performance and Preventing Injuries5 minutes
Contextualizing Physical Load: Integrating Data for Enhanced Injury Prevention5 minutes
Real-Time Tactical Analysis: Transforming Live Data into Actionable Insights4 minutes
Data Integration and AI: Uncovering Deeper Tactical Patterns4 minutes

3 readingsTotal 160 minutes

Complementary Resources on The Current Limitations of Live Data: Gaps in Speed, Detail, and Practical Use in Clubs80 minutes
Complementary Resources on Improving Substitution Decisions: From Physical Load Tracking to Context-Aware Fatigue Monitoring50 minutes
Complementary Resources on Tactical analysis: flagging patterns, structures, weaknesses and strengths30 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 60 minutes

Live Data30 minutes
Live Data30 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

Live Data10 minutes

Examine the emerging role of artificial intelligence in player scouting. This module explores how large language models are automating report generation, the current obstacles in AI-driven evaluations, and how new data approaches are making player profiles more comprehensive and actionable than ever before.

What's included

6 videos3 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt

6 videosTotal 30 minutes

Understanding Large Language Models and Their Application in Football Scouting5 minutes
Wordalisation in Football: Translating Player Data into Scouting Narratives5 minutes
The Uncertain Scout: Understanding LLM Indecisiveness in Football Talent Evaluation5 minutes
Prompt Engineering Gone Wrong: How Biased Inputs Skew LLM Scouting Reports5 minutes
Transforming the Information Overload: How LLMs Streamline Player Data for Elite Scouting5 minutes
Web Scraping and Social Media Analysis: Gathering Comprehensive Player Data for LLM Processing5 minutes

3 readingsTotal 310 minutes

Complementary Resources on AI Scouting Reports: Automating Player Performance Assessments with Large Language Models125 minutes
Complementary Resources on Limitations of LLMs: Lack of decisiveness & prompting biases can lead to ineffective scouting75 minutes
Complementary Resources on New type of data: Enhancing scouting by condensing player information through LLMs110 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 60 minutes

AI in Scouting30 minutes
AI in Scouting30 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

AI in Scouting10 minutes

Unpack the next wave of AI-driven performance analytics. From unsupervised learning inspired by chess to AI assistant coaches and automated data tagging, you’ll see how machine learning is reshaping not just how we analyze football, but how we understand and optimize the game itself.

What's included

6 videos3 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt

6 videosTotal 28 minutes

AlphaZero's Revolution: How Unsupervised Learning Changed Chess Forever4 minutes
From Chess to Football: Applying Unsupervised Learning to Transform Football Tactics4 minutes
Training the Machine: How Supervised Learning Transforms Football Video Analysis5 minutes
From Insight to Impact: Automating Tactical Analysis with Machine Learning5 minutes
The Computer Vision Revolution: How AI is Transforming Football Data Collection5 minutes
Data Democratization: How AI is Making Advanced Football Analytics Accessible to All5 minutes

3 readingsTotal 275 minutes

Complementary Resources on Unsupervised learning: Transforming Chess and Its Potential Impact on Football110 minutes
Complementary Resources on AI assistant coach: Leveraging Machine Learning to Recognize and Evaluate Tactical Concepts90 minutes
Complementary Resources on AI data gathering: Revolutionizing Football Data Collection with AI Tagging75 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 60 minutes

AI in Performance30 minutes
AI in Performance30 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

AI in Performance10 minutes

Earn a career certificate

Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.

Instructor

Marisa Sáenz

Real Madrid Graduate School Universidad Europea

70 Courses8,831 learners

Offered by

Real Madrid Graduate School Universidad Europea

Explore more from Machine Learning

Status: Free Trial
Real Madrid Graduate School Universidad Europea
Maximum Performance and Technology in Sports
Specialization
Status: Free Trial
Real Madrid Graduate School Universidad Europea
Ahead of The Game: The Future of Nutrition and Training
Course
Status: Free Trial
Real Madrid Graduate School Universidad Europea
How Did We Get Here?The Development of Analytics in Football
Course
Status: Free Trial
Real Madrid Graduate School Universidad Europea
Harnessing AI for Injury Prevention and Recovery in Football
Course

Why people choose Coursera for their career

Felipe M.

Learner since 2018

"To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."

Jennifer J.

Learner since 2020

"I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."

Larry W.

Learner since 2021

"When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go."

Chaitanya A.

"Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits."

Unlock access to 10,000+ courses with a subscription
Advance your career with an online degree
Earn a degree from world-class universities - 100% online
Join over 4,700 global companies that choose Coursera for Business

Frequently asked questions

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.