Modern football scouting only produces results when human intuition is combined with systematic analysis of everything a player does on the pitch. The market for sports analytics was estimated at around USD 5.5 billion in 2025 and is growing by over 20 percent annually. Clubs are increasingly investing in data to find “the next Pelé” with the help of advanced technology.
What is digital scouting – and who uses it?
Digital scouting is identifying and assessing soccer players based on event data, motion tracking, and analytical models that put numbers on how effective they are. Modern platforms record over 3,000 events per match – every pass, finish, rebound, receive and movement on the pitch. It makes it possible to look far beyond goals and assists and instead understand the player’s entire contribution.
This data is not only used by clubs and scouts. Analysts and the media use them to explain tactical trends, form development and performance over time. Supporters also use the insight to compare players and teams in a more objective way.
Increasingly, digital scouting is also relevant for people interested in online gambling and sports betting. The global sports betting market was estimated at over $110 billion in 2025, and football still accounts for the largest share of revenue. For this group, online gambling is not just about odds, but about understanding underlying performance data.
Through metrics such as expected goals (xG), pass accuracy, duel strength and consistency over time, digital scouting provides a more precise basis for decision-making. Precisely for this reason, tools and methods from scouting are becoming increasingly important also in online gambling, where data-driven analyses can contribute to more informed and long-term assessments.
The five most important strategies in digital scouting – characteristics and benefits
We’ve put together five simple ways to work with soccer data so that the numbers actually reflect the player behind them. The strategies make it easier to spot the best players in Premier League signings, without being fooled by those who have only had one good season.
1. Searching for a Reference Profile
Searching for a reference profile means that the club first describes the “ideal” player for a particular role, and then finds those closest to that model in the numbers. The club is not looking for a random striker, but for a striker who, for example, is good at finding space in the box, finishing from good positions and contributes to the build-up of attacks.
In this way, clubs can replace players in a more targeted manner. If you sell your key player, it is not about “guessing” who fits in, but about finding the most similar statistical profile within the budget and current leagues.
2. Finding underrated players
Finding underrated players is about identifying those whose actual contributions are greater than the market value or media attention suggests. This is one of the best ways to profit from price differences – you buy the player before he becomes expensive.
According to the Global Transfer Report 2025, a record 86,158 international transfers were completed in 2025, and total transfer payments in men’s football reached $13.08 billion. In such a market, the ability to spot undervalued players is often what determines who gets quality – and who pays extra for a name.
3. Analyze development and dynamics over time
Analysis of development and dynamics means that scouts look beyond one good season and examine how the player’s numbers change from year to year and after club changes. It is useful to look at:
- Development in xG, xA, pressure volume and passing accuracy under pressure;
- How the numbers change after transfers to a new league or club;
- The player’s age and the typical development curve of his position.
When a young player improves steadily, it is worth paying extra close attention.
4. Interpret data in context
Interpreting data in context means tying numbers and metrics to the team’s style, the league’s pace, and the player’s role. The same number of shots, interceptions, or progressive passes means completely different things to a player in a team that dominates and one that mostly defends. Key questions in context analysis:
- How much time the team spends in attack and in the opponent’s half;
- Whether the player has to take risks (creative playmaker) or if the role requires the safest possible choice (defensive midfielder);
- How strong the league is compared to the goal league.
Without such adjustments, there is a risk of overestimating players from top teams – or underestimating those who deliver solid numbers in teams that are struggling.
5. Combining analysis and expert assessment
Combining analysis and expert assessment means that data is used to create a list of candidates, while the final assessment is done after direct observation. The numbers help narrow down the sample. But the choice is only made after you have seen the player in practice. A typical process:
- Analysts create a candidate list based on profile and metrics;
- They prepare video clips of key situations – under pressure, in defence and on the counter-attack;
- Coaches and scouts assess game understanding, discipline, off-the-ball movements, and reaction to mistakes.
A clear sign of the demand for this way of working is that over 2,500 representatives from clubs, leagues, and companies attended the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference in 2026. For them, analysis is no longer an add-on, but a natural part of the job.
