The line between amateurism and professionalism is a blurred space in sport. There are moments created by the noble amateur that would warrant coverage on global sporting networks, and times when the elite turn in a performance that would see them dropped from the local village setup.
Combined with the advent of YouTube-founded football clubs and sell-out influencer boxing showdowns, it is clear that the pathway to ‘the top’ (wherever that may be) is very much open – with the myriad tools to make it also available to those starting lower down the mountain.
Sometimes it’s just about feeling (and looking) the part – even while competing for fun.
Hobbyist cyclists with their carbon-fiber, lighter-than-air bikes; weekend runners with more accessories than Margot Robbie dolled up as Barbie. And while football has so long remained so accessible (with a checklist comprising ball and leg(s)), it’s hard not to be lured by the gizmos, gadgets and analytics the pros use to refine their craft.
Footbar is the amateur baller’s introduction to big data.
Sprint speeds, time in possession, passes, shots, shot power, blocks, distance covered, tackles made. It’s all logged via a nifty AI-powered tracker strapped to your leg during a kickabout. It’s smart enough to identify which position you played and the format of the game (five, seven or 11-a-side), and delivers an analysis of strengths and opportunities for improvement.
A top-drawer feature, the three-pronged player comparison graph, facilitates bragging to team-mates that you really are the Mo Salah of the team. For proper football nerds, it’s an addiction – as acknowledged by Footbar that refers to users as Football Addicts. There are rankings to compare performance and progress to other users around the world, and a star rating to record your own development out on the pitch. Fair warning: dropping a 0.8/5 stars on a Saturday morning can be a demoralising blow even to the brashest of egos.
The tracker – AKA The Meteor – is endorsed by the Dutch FA, so if you want to know what makes Virgil van Dijk such a Rolls Royce (even if he has stalled as of late), now you know. All jokes aside, Footbar has made spreadsheet football fun, packaged in a way that, as billed, can help professional amateurs hit their goals. For the baller still doing keepy-ups at base camp, staring misty-eyed at the peak, it is well worth the punt.