A London football-technology company whose small sensors clip onto football boots to show players and coaches how they move and how they use the ball.
Playermaker makes a small sensor that attaches to a player's football boot with a silicone strap. Instead of measuring from the wrist or the chest, it measures from the foot, which is where football actually happens. The sensor has a motion chip that samples movement about 1,000 times a second, and it records things such as ball touches, passes, shots, sprints and top speed. The information goes to an app that shows each player personal insights and targets. Clubs use a coach version of the system to follow a whole squad, and there is a version for amateur players too. A special edition, CITYPLAY, was made with Manchester City's talent development experts.
The company was started by Guy Aharon, a former Israeli navy officer who became its chief executive, together with a co-founder named Yuval who later moved to London. The technology was first developed in Israel, and the first club to adopt it was Maccabi Tel Aviv. In 2020 it won a Sports Technology Award for best sports equipment or wearable, and it became the first foot-mounted wearable accepted onto FIFA's innovation programme. The website has no formal mission statement, but its message is "helping every player reach their full potential". Mr Aharon has said the main focus is to keep providing a product that athletes love, and that the aim is a tool for both professionals and everyday players.
Playermaker says it runs its global operations from London because it sees the UK as the world's football hub. The company is registered in London as PlayerMaker LTD. A jobs-site profile places its office in north London, near Islington, and lists about 85 staff, while a 2021 article put the team at more than 50, with offices in the UK and US. It reports that it is used in around 16 countries, mainly the UK and North America, and has named Manchester City, Rangers, Hull City and Norwich as users.
A jobs-site profile describes the team as agile, committed, driven and focused, with a shared passion for football and a wish to build win-win relationships across the international football community. That is the company's own description. It also says the team has experience in developing and manufacturing wearable sports devices, and includes experts in sensors, machine learning and biomechanics. Mr Aharon has said that information is "a set of tools that helps you to make smarter decisions", which gives a sense of the data-led approach to coaching.
A company like this employs several kinds of people. Hardware and firmware engineers design and test the sensors. Software and machine-learning engineers build the app and the analysis. Sports scientists and coaches turn the numbers into advice that players can use. Sales, customer-support and operations staff work with clubs and academies. If you like football and also enjoy maths, computing, electronics or sport science, this is one of the places where those interests meet. The company's own website is the best place to see what roles are open now.
Website: playermaker.com
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