Sevilla, a renowned football club soccer Spanish, took a bold step towards modernizing the sport by announcing a strategic partnership with IBM.
The collaboration between the club and the technology giant aims to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into the process of signing new players, marking a revolution in the way clubs approach building their teams.
Future of football
The innovative tool adopted by Sevilla is Scout Advisor, a Generative AI developed by IBM.
With natural language processing (NLP) and fundamental AI models, Scout Advisor is capable of performing in-depth analysis of large sets of data, both quantitative and qualitative, related to players.
IBM Tool – Image: IBM/Reproduction
By processing information such as height, weight, speed, number of goals, minutes played and even data present in scouting reports, Scout Advisor generates lists of candidates that meet the criteria established by the club.
Such an AI-driven approach not only streamlines the selection process but also offers a deeper understanding of each player’s skills and characteristics.
José María del Nido Carrasco, president of Sevilla FC, expressed excitement about the partnership, highlighting the disruptive potential of AI for his club and the sports industry as a whole.
He highlighted that the club’s team is committed to using AI resources to identify the best talent and drive the team’s success on the field.
Furthermore, Horacio Morell, president of IBM Spain, Portugal, Greece and Israel, highlighted IBM’s enthusiasm in participating in this innovative advancement in the sports sector.
He highlighted the partnership’s ability to transform the traditional work of football scouts, providing reliable and explainable knowledge that drives the club’s competitive objectives.
In turn, the IBM expressed pride in collaborating with Sevilla FC on this innovative project. Ana Paula Assis, president of IBM EMEA, highlighted the transformative role of AI in modernizing operations in various sectors.
She highlighted that IBM Watson’s generative AI can provide reliable and explainable knowledge, driving the club’s goals, while revolutionizing the work of football scouts.
As Sevilla adopt this pioneering approach, other teams could follow suit by introducing the artificial intelligence not just as an analysis tool, but as a central element in building more competitive and efficient teams.
This is a significant step in the convergence between sport and technology, which shapes the future of football in innovative ways.
