For Germany, Road to World Cup Repeat Runs Through Data Analytics

For Germany, Road to World Cup Repeat Runs Through Data Analytics
German software firm SAP has rolled out technology developed exclusively for the national team
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The SAP Sports One Player Dashboard provides the German national team with a quick way to analyze key match moments, like the seconds following a crucial goal kick. Photo: SAP SE
Germany faces off against Mexico in its first match of the World Cup 2018 on Sunday. As it vies for another title, the reigning champion once again will lean heavily on data analytics to gain a competitive edge, this time letting match analysts and coaches send data and commentary to players in real time.
SAP SE announced Friday two technology tools developed exclusively for the German national team to use during the tournament in Russia. The German software firm says the tools — a central data hub and a dashboard for players — will allow the team to analyze and share relevant data more efficiently.
“The players expressed their interest and need for more data, including more qualitative data,” said Sven Schwerin-Wenzel, development senior manager for SAP’s sports and entertainment division.
The technology also aims to adapt to changing habits of the next generation of athletes , many of whom are used to watching videos on their mobile devices, Mr. Schwerin-Wenzel said.
One feature, called the video cockpit, is a content hub that brings together live-play video, match and training statistics, and qualitative information from match analysts and coaching teams. That could include commentary about individual players or notes on a particular opponent’s strategy, among other data points.
The dashboard supports a digital tiki-taka of sorts where coaches, analysts and players can pass between each other personalized data, including player stats, video clips and performance notes. Players can also add their own comments responding to the feedback from coaches.
“They want (information) fast, they want it personalized and they want to access it on any device wherever they are,”  Mr. Schwerin-Wenzel said.
The German national team has worked with SAP since 2013, using the company’s technology in the 2014 World Cup to cut possession times, create holes in the defense and exploit weak links in opponents’ setups. (Germany won the title  that year, defeating Argentina 1-0 in the final.)
The Germans are the favorite in the tournament.  While the team has an array of familiar talent, 22-year old forward Timo Werner may define whether the German team can claim the title once again, the Journal reported .
*For more WSJ coverage of the World Cup, click here .*
More qualitative information, paired with robust quantitative data, can help teams more quickly determine how to put pressure on an opponent when they have the ball, or spot patterns when opponents initiate plays from the left wing or the right. The video cockpit and player dashboard are available in the cloud, allowing Germany to use them before, during and after a match.
SAP plans to make the tools available to other teams after the tournament, said Fadi Naoum, head of the company’s sports and entertainment division and senior vice president for products and innovation.
Looking ahead, SAP and the German team are prioritizing artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities, such as using pattern detection and positioning data to analyze complex match scenarios and opponent tendencies.
SAP declined to make any coaches or players from the German national team available for an interview. The company also declined to provide any insights the technology has delivered thus far, noting the competitive situation.
For Germany, Road to World Cup Repeat Runs Through Data Analytics
German software firm SAP has rolled out technology developed exclusively for the national team
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