AI Revolutionizes Football Talent Scouting Beyond Traditional Methods

Leonardo Veiga, an 18-year-old footballer from Brazil, was on the verge of abandoning his aspirations of becoming a professional athlete when a technological breakthrough changed his course. Thanks to the Footbao app, he secured a position with an Italian club's youth team after being discovered through an artificial intelligence platform.

Tech enterprises are now introducing innovative applications that allow aspiring players to upload videos demonstrating their skills. These videos are analyzed using AI, which assesses their performance and relays this data to scouts and clubs searching for new talent. Veiga, who was playing for a small club in Santa Catarina, found out about Footbao through a YouTube video that highlighted the opportunity for top scorers to train with Lecce, an Italian club. His impressive performance caught the attention of a scout, leading to his current contract with Spezia’s youth academy in Italy's second division.

"AI opened a new door," Veiga remarked in an interview from Italy, reflecting on his unexpected journey. "I thought, 'I'm going to download the app and give it a try. If nothing happens, it doesn't matter because nothing else is working out for me. But what if something does happen?'"

Footbao has gained traction, with approximately 120,000 users, primarily in Brazil, a nation renowned for producing football talent. Nick Rappolt, the company's CEO, estimates that around 14,000 to 15,000 players possess the potential to join professional clubs or academies. The company, established in 2023, is also expanding its reach to Colombia and Argentina, aiming to uncover talent often overlooked by major scouting networks.

Another player in this evolving landscape is CUJU, a German company whose app has been downloaded around 160,000 times since its launch last year. Sven Muller, CUJU’s marketing director, noted that traditional scouting often relies on existing databases that miss emerging talent. Their goal is to transform casual video uploads into credible performance metrics.

The impact of these technologies extends to women’s football as well. In São Paulo, Marcela Geremias de Lima utilized CUJU's app to improve her skills, eventually earning a spot in Corinthians' Under-15 team. She expressed that the app's exercises "help you improve" and provide visibility to players from anywhere.

With Brazil set to host the 2027 Women's World Cup, the recruitment of young female athletes is poised to accelerate. Notably, Santos, a club with a storied history, has partnered with Footbao to enhance its talent search. "We aim to expand our search for athletes," stated Santos president Marcelo Teixeira. As AI continues to develop, it offers a promising avenue for unearthing football talent that may have otherwise remained hidden.