In football management, scouting and player tracking have taken on an unprecedented level of sophistication.
At the forefront of this transformation is Sevilla FC, whose strategic tracking of player talent serves as a masterclass in organized, data-driven talent acquisition.
To uncover players who align perfectly with the team’s style and needs, Sevilla FC employs a structured two-phase tracking approach: raw tracking and net tracking.
These stages allow the club to efficiently build a rich database of potential talent, review players across multiple contexts, and make informed decisions on acquisitions.
Beginning each June, this process flows through five meticulous phases, from early monitoring to the final stages of player negotiation and adaptation.
This post delves into the framework of Sevilla FC’s player tracking process, exploring how they manage vast amounts of data, leverage scouting insights, and apply advanced analytics to make highly selective player acquisitions.
We’ll break down the stages of tracking, touch on the importance of economic and psychological profiles, and highlight how clubs like Sevilla are setting new standards in scouting methodology.
1. Player Tracking at Sevilla FC
At Sevilla FC, the player tracking process is both comprehensive and systematic, guided by a commitment to meticulous data gathering and analysis.
This approach is designed to maximize the scouting department’s resources and align every decision with the club’s overarching sports and economic goals.
For Sevilla, player tracking isn’t just about identifying talent; it’s about ensuring every acquisition fits into the club’s established game model and fulfills both immediate needs and long-term objectives.
Phases of Player Tracking
The process at Sevilla spans five critical phases, each reinforcing a disciplined approach to scouting and player evaluation:
1. Monitoring
In this initial phase, scouts cast a wide net, tracking numerous players across a range of competitions. This stage, known as raw tracking, focuses on gathering as much relevant data as possible, creating a foundational database of players who may fit the club’s requirements.
2. Definition of Chosen Players
From the extensive database built in the monitoring stage, the list is refined to highlight players who exhibit characteristics most aligned with Sevilla’s needs. At this point, the scouts identify specific players to follow more intensively.
3. Establishment of Profiles
Once the shortlist is established, profiles are created based on physical, technical, tactical, and psychological attributes. The club prioritizes qualities that will allow players to thrive in its unique environment.
4. Negotiation
For players who meet the club’s exacting standards, the focus shifts to negotiations. This phase ensures that acquisitions are both financially viable and beneficial for the team’s long-term goals.
5. Adaptation
The final stage is integrating the player into Sevilla FC’s structure. This includes assessing how quickly a player can adapt to the demands of the team and the club’s playing style, ensuring a smooth transition and maximizing the likelihood of immediate contributions.
Timing of Tracking: Raw and Net
The scouting process is further divided into two distinct periods—raw tracking from July to December, and net trackingfrom January to May.
During raw tracking, scouts observe players broadly across multiple leagues, gathering wide-ranging data on skill, performance, and fit for the club.
In the net tracking phase, attention is concentrated on the top candidates identified during raw tracking.
These players are analyzed in-depth, observed in different contexts, and reviewed by multiple scouts to ensure a comprehensive understanding of their abilities and potential fit with Sevilla.
Sevilla’s structured, phase-driven approach to player tracking has proven effective in consistently identifying talent that can contribute both on and off the field.
This model allows the club to adapt its roster to current needs while maintaining a pipeline of talent ready for future roles.
2. Raw Tracking
Building a Comprehensive Database
Raw tracking forms the backbone of Sevilla FC’s player scouting system, establishing a robust and comprehensive database that guides future recruitment.
As mentioned before, this stage is focused on casting the widest net possible, observing a large volume of matches, and identifying potential talents who align with Sevilla’s style and game model.
By the end of this phase, Sevilla’s scouting team has an extensive list of players who may fit the club’s needs and a valuable foundation for the more detailed analyses to come in the next stages.
Classification of Competitions
In raw tracking, Sevilla divides competitions into three main categories based on factors such as historical player performance, league level, player type, and economic feasibility:
Class A Competitions
This category includes top-tier European and South American leagues like the Bundesliga, Premier League, Serie A, and the Brazilian Serie A. Players in these leagues tend to have higher performance metrics, and Sevilla’s scouts monitor them closely throughout the season.
Class B Competitions
These leagues are mid-level competitions in Europe and South America, such as Austria’s Bundesliga, Poland’s Ekstraklasa, and Colombia’s Categoría Primera A. Scouts often observe these leagues through national teams or select matches, as their players may represent untapped potential.
Class C Competitions
Consisting of lower-priority events like the Gold Cup, Asian Cup, and Africa Cup of Nations, these competitions are followed primarily for standout performances, as players from these leagues may occasionally align with Sevilla’s goals.
This tiered approach allows Sevilla’s scouts to maximize efficiency by dedicating more resources to high-yield competitions while still keeping an eye on promising players from lesser-known leagues.
How Raw Tracking is done
The methodology Sevilla employs for raw tracking is deliberate and organized. Each scout is assigned four or more leagues to monitor, depending on the club’s needs and the competition’s classification.
By focusing on high-priority leagues while still observing broader markets, Sevilla ensures its scouting resources are used to the fullest. The main goals of raw tracking include:
Match Viewing and Objective Focus – Scouts prioritize watching as many games as possible, always keeping Sevilla’s game model and player needs in mind.
By observing matches with a set of predefined objectives, scouts can assess players within the club’s framework.
Monthly and Quarterly Evaluations – Each month, scouts compile an ideal “Starting XI” based on the players observed, which helps highlight the top performers in each league.
For Class A leagues, this analysis is even more granular, while for Class B leagues, an overall best XI is created every quarter, blending top players from various competitions.
Building a Wide Pool of Talent – By tracking a high volume of matches, Sevilla’s scouts maintain a large pool of potential signings.
Each scout is tasked with following three to four leagues, striking a balance between depth and breadth in monitoring.
Leveraging Technology for Efficiency
Advanced analytics and data technology, such as platforms like Wyscout and Instat, have streamlined the raw tracking process.
Big Data allows scouts to narrow their search through filters based on Sevilla’s needs, focusing on critical aspects like position, competition, and fit with the game model.
For Sevilla, Big Data doesn’t replace scouts—it refines their focus, allowing them to spend more time on high-potential players.
Importance of Live Viewing
Despite technological advancements, Sevilla emphasizes the importance of live viewing. Scouts often begin with video-based observations but prioritize in-person scouting before a player is shortlisted.
Watching live allows scouts to see elements that may be missed in videos, such as a player’s off-ball movement, communication style, and response to in-game challenges.
The club maximizes each scouting trip, ensuring every resource—time, money, and expertise—is used to its fullest.
In short, raw tracking is Sevilla FC’s foundation for a data-rich, balanced approach to talent scouting.
By combining rigorous in-person evaluations with technology-driven efficiencies, the club creates a strong talent pipeline, setting the stage for more focused, data-driven decision-making in the next phase: net tracking.
3. Net Tracking: Refining the Talent Pool
Net Tracking represents a strategic deep-dive into refining a carefully selected pool of talent. This phase follows the extensive groundwork laid in Raw Tracking, where only the most promising athletes are chosen for a focused assessment.
By narrowing the field, clubs like Sevilla FC can devote more resources to an intensive evaluation of each candidate, analyzing nuanced aspects of their potential fit within the team.
What is Net Tracking?
Net Tracking is a more targeted and strategic phase in the scouting process, zeroing in on players who stood out during Raw Tracking.
Here, scouts no longer look at a broad pool but focus on those already deemed worthy of a closer look.
During Net Tracking, scouts aim to gain insights beyond the surface, examining each player’s adaptability to different game scenarios, team roles, and the likelihood of flourishing under the club’s structure.
Evaluation Criteria
The evaluation process in Net Tracking is multi-faceted, aiming to assess player strengths and versatility in diverse game contexts.
Each player is scrutinized under different conditions to gauge their capacity to deliver consistently across varying scenarios. Here are the key evaluation criteria:
- Contextual Monitoring:
Scouts examine each player’s performance across different scenarios. For instance, they observe how players fare in both home and away matches, against weaker and stronger opponents, or in national team settings.
This approach sheds light on how adaptable and resilient players are under varied competitive pressures.
- Collaboration Among Scouts:
Net Tracking includes fresh assessments from scouts who may not have seen these players in the Raw Tracking phase.
This collaborative approach provides multiple perspectives, preventing single-view bias and ensuring the player’s capabilities are reviewed from diverse angles.
Examples of Adaptive Planning
Adaptive planning is essential to a successful Net Tracking phase, where quick adjustments to unexpected changes are vital. Here are two notable examples:
- The Dragutinovic Case
When Sergio Ramos unexpectedly transferred to Real Madrid, Sevilla’s sports management had to pivot quickly, selecting Dragutinovic as his replacement.
This move underscored the importance of preparing for unanticipated roster gaps and the value of studying all positions comprehensively.
- The Unai Emery Case
When Unai Emery left Sevilla for PSG, his departure prompted a significant shift in player needs under new coach Jorge Sampaoli.
Players who fit Emery’s approach weren’t necessarily suitable for Sampaoli’s tactics, illustrating the need for scouting that considers different player profiles, particularly when anticipating potential changes in coaching staff.
Final Selection and Profiles
In the final stages of Net Tracking, each player undergoes a comprehensive review to determine their overall suitability for the club.
The criteria used for final evaluation and selection encompass a holistic view of each player’s potential:
Physical Profile: Evaluating how players meet physical demands within the team’s framework.
Technical-Tactical Profile: Analyzing on-field skills, with scouts grading each performance aspect.
Psychological Profile: Gathering insights from the player’s previous teams and staff, adding depth to their character profile.
Economic Profile: Understanding contract details, transfer fees, and expected salary range.
Adaptation Time: Estimating how quickly a player might adjust to the club environment.
Revaluation Potential: Identifying players with both immediate and future value, balancing the team’s current and long-term needs.
Net Tracking is where initial talent lists narrow to only those with the greatest potential, ensuring that each player signed brings value, adaptability, and skill aligned with the club’s current and evolving strategies.
4. Key Evaluation Profiles in Net Tracking
In Net Tracking, Sevilla FC’s scouting team thoroughly assesses a variety of factors to ensure a player not only fits the club’s immediate needs but also holds promise for future growth.
This section delves into the six essential evaluation profiles that make up a comprehensive player review.
Physical Profile
The Physical Profile assesses whether a player’s physical attributes align with the club’s performance expectations.
Scouts examine the player’s stamina, speed, agility, and strength, as these physical characteristics directly impact their ability to adapt to the demands of the team.
While physical measurements may vary by competition, Sevilla’s scouts employ cutting-edge tools like Mediacoach and GPS bibs to track these values whenever possible.
Technical-Tactical Profile
In this phase, each player is rated on their alignment with Sevilla FC’s style and tactical needs. Using a grading scale from A to E, scouts evaluate the player’s skills based on their potential impact on the team:
- A: Strong recommendation to sign
- B: Very promising
- C: Worth continued monitoring
- D: Not recommended for signing
- E: Disqualified from further consideration
Scouts rely heavily on match data and firsthand observations, trusting their evaluations to build a reliable Technical-Tactical Profile that reflects a player’s true capacity for contribution on the field.
Psychological Profile
The Psychological Profile explores the player’s resilience, adaptability, and character, drawing from feedback in their existing circles, including coaches, teammates, and the media.
Recognizing that mental toughness is a critical factor for success, particularly in high-pressure matches, scouts collect as much subjective insight as possible.
Though this aspect of evaluation may lack objectivity, it provides crucial context for assessing a player’s potential to thrive in Sevilla’s challenging environment.
Economic Conditions
The Economic Profile examines the player’s cost-effectiveness, analyzing their transfer fees, buyout clause, and salary expectations.
Here, the club’s sports management collaborates with agents and club representatives to gain a clear understanding of these financial details.
Striking the right balance between financial feasibility and performance potential is essential to aligning the team’s budget with its roster needs.
Adaptation Potential
Predicting how quickly and effectively a player will adapt to a new environment is vital. Scouts employ the concept of the “Peter Principle,” a psychological insight that suggests individuals sometimes struggle with new levels of responsibility.
By assessing each player’s career history, scouts gauge whether they are equipped to handle a transition to Sevilla FC. This evaluation helps minimize the risk of a signing who may underperform due to poor adaptation.
Future Revaluation
Future revaluation potential is critical to Sevilla’s strategy of balancing present and future needs. Ideally, 30% of new signings are expected to offer immediate impact, while the remaining 70% represent long-term investments.
By planning with this ratio, Sevilla not only addresses immediate team goals but also nurtures players with the potential for significant future returns, ensuring sustainable growth.
With these profiles, Sevilla FC scouts create a well-rounded assessment of each candidate, maximizing the chances of finding players who align with both current team needs and the club’s future ambitions.
Conclusion
Sevilla FC’s tracking system exemplifies a comprehensive approach to player acquisition, emphasizing meticulous planning, data analysis, and real-time scouting.
By strategically blending Raw and Net Tracking, Sevilla ensures that each player brought into the club undergoes rigorous evaluation across multiple dimensions—from physical attributes to psychological resilience.
This robust system reduces the risks that often accompany high-stakes transfers, allowing the club to make informed decisions that are financially sound and strategically aligned.
The synergy of data-driven insights and on-the-ground scouting keeps Sevilla FC at the forefront of player recruitment, enabling the club to build a versatile roster capable of meeting both current and future demands.
Through this structured framework, Sevilla continues to remain competitive, maintaining a sustainable model that balances immediate performance with long-term growth.
As the game continues to evolve, this approach underscores the value of innovation in football management, positioning Sevilla as a leader in modern scouting methodology.