How WhatsApp could revolutionize football

The technology applied to scouting and the transfer market is a divisive topic in the world of football. More and more teams are relying on mathematical models to integrate their analysis work, but for a significant group of journalists, commentators, and fans, the idea of an algorithm applied to football still causes scandal. This preconception is influenced by the plot of Moneyball, the film in which Brad Pitt plays Billy Beane, the General Manager who led the Oakland Athletics to the all-time record for consecutive wins in MLB history after building a roster based solely on statistics. That is the reference, and consequently, whenever the terms transfer market and algorithm are mentioned, it is almost automatic for many people to think that managers no longer follow their instincts or trust their experience but instead make decisions based solely on what a computer tells them.

Regardless of the viewpoints, however, it is undeniable that technology has taken over in football and that more and more clubs are working to integrate it into their methodologies. As a result, it is not surprising that these same clubs are now also relying on artificial intelligence. The most well-known case is that of Liverpool: in March 2024, the news became public that the Reds were using TacticAI, an artificial intelligence system developed in collaboration with Google DeepMind to help with corner kick preparation. It is a system based on the collection and analysis of data from 7,176 corner kicks taken between 2020 and 2021, aimed at helping the Reds develop strategies to better attack and defend during corner kicks. Then there is the case of Eyeball, a system that allows for more effective observation and recruitment of young talents. The system works by installing a high-resolution camera with a wide 180-degree field of view on the field, thus facilitating data processing by an artificial intelligence software. This software monitors each player, creating personalized clips of actions they are involved in and providing statistics.

The Arrival of Earpiece

The latest product to make its mark in the Premier League is Earpiece, an artificial intelligence tool developed by Twelve Football that operates through the WhatsApp messaging system. “It’s incredible how WhatsApp works in football,” said David Sumpter, founder of Twelve Football, in an interview with The Athletic. “Most people don’t use anything else. Most people working in football don’t sit with a laptop because they’re on the field, at the stadium, talking to people. So, we had to find a solution to communicate directly with these people.”

Specifically, Earpiece functions like a regular bot: a first message is sent requesting an analysis of a player, and Earpiece responds with a series of text messages performing a full scout, based on playing style and integrated with statistics. A juke-box that, in real time, allows coaches and match analysts to study counter-moves. Additionally, in Earpiece’s favor is the same technology used by WhatsApp, and more specifically, the end-to-end encryption of the application, which effectively limits access to messages to only the sender and the recipient. Total confidentiality on sensitive information, with the added touch of “humanity,” as it feels like interacting with any other professional, when in fact the interlocutor is a bot.