Artificial intelligence is reshaping how football clubs scout young talent, turning raw video clips into detailed performance metrics that can be searched across continents.
One such breakthrough came when an 18‑year‑old Brazilian midfielder, Leonardo Veiga, caught the eye of Italian scouts through the Footbao app, earning a place in the youth academy of a Serie A side.
Democratizing the Game
Footbao, which boasts roughly 120,000 users concentrated in Brazil and expanding into Colombia and Argentina, alongside its counterpart CUJU — downloaded over 160,000 times — aim to level the playing field by converting simple recordings into reliable data.
The technology has already helped players like Marcela Geremias de Lima, who used CUJU to refine her game and subsequently secured a spot in Corinthians’ Under‑15 squad, a club renowned for nurturing South American women’s talent.
With Brazil slated to host the 2027 Women’s World Cup, the pressure to uncover standout performers is intensifying, prompting clubs such as Santos to partner with Footbao in a bid to spot the next wave of prospects.
Industry voices echo the transformative potential; Joao Paulo Sampaio of Palmeiras notes that AI can provide a platform for athletes who might otherwise slip through the cracks, ensuring that raw ability is no longer hidden from scouts.