The application of GPS technology in football has revolutionized the way we analyze player performance. With initiatives such as OLIVER, an increasing number of players can access their metrics, providing a more objective means to compare the performance of professional and amateur players.
Pro vs Amateur: How big is the difference?
Taking an objective perspective on football, the primary disparities between professional and amateur players lie in their consistency in training, understanding of the game, and physical performance. These critical factors play a significant role in determining an athlete's sustained performance over time, a key differentiator between the two skill levels.
Regarding the difference, GPS technology allows us to delve into the differences in physical performance. Some data to understand the differences between both:
- A professional football player runs approximately 11 kilometres per game, at a pace of 130 meters per minute. On the other hand, the top 10% of amateur players cover an average of 9.5 km per game, completing 112 meters per minute.
- Regarding intensity, a top amateur player performs an average of 250 maximum-intensity sprints, while a professional player does 650.
- If we talk about accelerations, we must highlight that a professional player completes 500 during a game, while the top 10% of the best amateur players complete an average of only 330.
The data is based on big data and reflects an average of the players. It is worth clarifying that not all positions are the same and not all players have the same performance, but broadly, they reflect the difference between elite football and non-professional football.
Playing like a Pro, increasingly within your reach.
OLIVER already has a new feature available: Insights. Here, each player can see their performance compared to a professional player, or an amateur player, and their record, and also receive insights & recommendations to improve performance. This feature represents a before and after in the OLIVER experience, bringing players and their potential closer together.
This new functionality allows you to see in detail what level you have in specific metrics. To provide precision, the OLIVER Data Science team studied and defined the parameters and values to which each player can compare themselves.
Don't miss all the details on how to use OLIVER in this video.
Since April, all users can see the details and comparisons of 6 metrics:
- Distance per minute ⏱️
- Distance covered 🏃
- Top speed 🚀
- Sprints 🔝
- Accelerations ⚡
- Kick power 🎯
This way, you can analyze how your performance was compared to an amateur or professional player, which will allow you to define which metrics you need to improve to reach your best level. Additionally, this feature allows you to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses, to focus your training according to those aspects in which you want to enhance your performance and play like a Pro.
David vs. Goliath: GPS technology makes it real.
Football has always had an epic feel, and those teams that manage to beat the powerful with a fraction of the resources remain in history. Historical upsets occur both in World Cups and regional leagues, and represent an aspect that makes football a unique sport.
Alcoyano, a team that uses OLIVER's GPS technology, defeated Real Madrid in the 2021 Copa del Rey. It is one of the most memorable upsets in Spanish football.
Until a few years ago, "Goliaths" were even bigger and "Davids" had fewer weapons, but GPS technology and the democratization of access to all sectors and levels of football make upsets and historical games closer than ever.
GPS technology has arrived to level the playing field so that the only ones who "carry the weapons" are not just elite teams and players with infinite resources, but also anyone who seeks to maximize their performance.
