Trends in Scouting:
What Top Clubs Are Looking for Today
Salzburg, April 2025
The world of football scouting has evolved rapidly in recent years. Top clubs today combine cutting-edge technologies with traditional methods to precisely identify and assess talent. For us as an agency, it is crucial to understand and leverage these developments.
1. Data-Based Scouting: The Power of Numbers
Modern clubs increasingly rely on data analysis to objectively evaluate player performance. Metrics such as Expected Goals (xG), progressive passes, or pressing intensity offer deep insights into a player’s playing behavior. Platforms like Wyscout and InStat make it possible to analyze and compare thousands of players worldwide.
However, data alone is not enough. A balanced combination of analytical insights and human intuition is essential. As one scout puts it: “Data and scouting are complementary.”
2. Live Scouting: The Eye for the Invisible
Despite technological advances, personally observing players remains indispensable. Christoph Freund, sporting director of FC Bayern Munich, emphasizes the importance of live scouting to recognize character traits that are not visible in data or videos. Behavior during warm-ups, reactions to instructions, or interactions with teammates provide valuable information.
3. Global Talent Development: Thinking Outside the Box
Top clubs are expanding their scouting networks worldwide. Many clubs, for example, run academies in various countries to identify and promote talent early. Clubs like Red Bull Salzburg also invest heavily in their youth departments to discover and develop talents such as Erling Haaland.
4. Technological Innovations: AI and VR in Action
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Virtual Reality (VR) are revolutionizing scouting. Tools like “TacticAI” by DeepMind analyze player positioning and develop optimal game strategies. VR technologies enable scouts to experience game situations from different perspectives and better understand player decision-making.
5. Psychological Aspects: Focusing on the Human
In addition to physical and technical abilities, mental characteristics are becoming increasingly important. Adaptability, teamwork, and resilience are key factors in a player’s success. Scouts and agencies are placing more emphasis on these “soft” factors to complete the overall picture of a talent.
Conclusion: The Future of Scouting
Modern scouting is a synergy of technology, data analysis, and human judgment. For our agency, More than Sport, this means staying at the cutting edge and integrating both innovative tools and traditional methods. Only in this way can talent be holistically evaluated and optimally nurtured.
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Conclusion: The Future of Scouting
Modern scouting is a synergy of technology, data analysis, and human judgment. For our agency, More than Sport, this means staying at the cutting edge and integrating both innovative tools and traditional methods. Only in this way can talent be holistically evaluated and optimally nurtured.