Is This the End of Football As We Know It? AI’s Growing Role in the Beautiful Game

Can AI in football change the way our favourite game is played?

We are sure you have noticed that “Artificial intelligence” (AI) has become the buzzword of the last few years. There isn’t a day in which you don’t see AI improvements in different spheres of business and life. Whether you are scrolling thru your phone or watching TV, you will see news about AI optimizing processes and helping companies gain competitive advantage over their peers.

Football hasn’t been spared. The use of AI by teams has skyrocketed in the last few years and the results have been showing.

You hear news that promise robot coaches, AI player scouting, super teams created by machine learning and even algorithms that can outsmart the most experienced managers. 

But is any of it true or is it all part of the general hype?

In this Betinum article we will look into the ways that AI in football and what the future holds for it. 

We also have some tips on how successful predictions are made using AI, so stick around to find out! 

AI in Football – What’s Really Happening

It is true that AI is changing football, but not in the way that you think. The stories of teams being fully coached by automated coaches and the creation of super teams based on algorithms do catch the public’s attention – but the truth is different.

AI isn’t replacing humans, it is helping us reshape our thinking and how we make decisions.

Let’s take one of the biggest teams in England – Liverpool FC. They are at the top of the Premier league, but to stay there, they need to adapt and be ahead of their competitors.

And how do they do that?

They embrace new technology and implement it in their coaching strategies. The team has partnered up with Google’s DeepMind to design a system that helps analyze set-piece scenarios and other aspects of the game. 

Using machine learning and analysing patterns in different matches, it suggests different approaches and positioning adjustments. It not only helps improve the team’s behavior in the game, it gives the coaches a fresh perspective to consider alongside their existing strategies. 

What can AI in football do to help?

Before we proceed we need to make one thing clear – AI isn’t replacing the teams coaches and the referees on the pitch. AI in football is there to enhance their abilities and help them do their job even better than before.

Let’s look at some examples from recent years:

AI in football official matches

Coaching staff aren’t the only ones relying on AI in football – tournament officials it them as well. During UEFA Euro 2024 the organizers introduced semi-automated offside technology (SAOT). It is an AI system that tracks the player’s movements and detects offsides in real time. It processes the spatial data faster than any referee and comes to a conclusion faster. It puts an end to the long wait times to decide if one leg is offside or not.

AI for analyzing player data

If there is one team that proves that AI algorithms work – it’s Brentford FC. Let’s take a quick look at how they were able to climb from Championship and secured a spot in the Premier League, whilst spending only a fraction of what bigger teams spend. 

The initiative came from the top, namely the owner Matthew Benham, who happens to be a big stats nerd.

The idea? That data can uncover hidden potential in places where others aren’t looking.

Instead of spending a lot of money signing players based on hype or reputation, Brentford’s recruitment team relied on deep statistical models. They scouted lesser-known leagues and players released from academy teams.

They used AI algorithms and focused on data patterns that showed true potential. They used AI for scouting and finding undervalued talent before anyone else noticed.

AI Revolution in Betting, Predictions and Tipsters

The AI revolution isn’t affecting only game officials and coaching staff, there is another side of the great game – betting.

Just like in the above examples, AI can’t replace professional tipsters – it only helps them enhance their football predictions and stay ahead of the bookmakers.

Think of AI in football like another set of eyes – one that scans data infinitely fast, spots emerging trends immediately and flags value bets on the spot.  

The most common AI models create mathematical predictions based on thousands of variables – team form, injuries, home advantage and even weather conditions.

AI isn’t going to steal the spotlight and make tipsters obsolete. That being said, now’s the time for the perfect partnership between machine and human. 

If you’re serious about investing money by betting – start now with our free plan. We guarantee that you will win money if you play all of the bets for 30 – 50 days. 

Rely on our special mathematical algorithm and win enough money for free! Then, once you’ve built your bank, you are ready to sign up for one of our premium plans and get access to even more predictions and start winning real money! 

Sign up for free now !