Whether you’re a player, a coach or an equipment manager, you have noticed a shift in the game. The easy-flowing game has slowly but surely turned into a statistically-driven sport, with measurements easily recorded from speed to distance covered to even on-field location tracking.
To help keep you up-to-date with the latest technology as well as upgrade your game, we’ve come up with the ultimate guide to the best soccer tracker on the market.
Types of Trackers: What Kind Should You Invest In
Finding the right technology means sorting through the different types of soccer performance trackers. With all the noise out there, we hope this guide can help you choose the best sports tracker for you as a player or as a coach trying to keep tabs on your players.
Although it’s sometimes a trial-and-error process on finding the right piece of equipment, first starting off with deciding which type you need can help ease the transition.
In this section, we’re going to go through the various types of football gadgets on the market:
GPS Tracker
Strapped easily to your chest underneath a shirt or sports bra, this GPS tracker helps track a player’s every movement while they’re on the pitch.
Connected directly to a monitor that displays all the numbers you need to know, this GPS tracker can also come with a heart rate sensor, which helps you keep tabs on your fitness level, too.
Tons of coaches use GPS trackers to not only literally see the ground covered by each player but also to see who needs to be taken out due to distance run and real-time fitness level.
Insole Tracker
If you’re not a fan of chest straps, there is a type of tracker that fits right into the insole of your boot. This soccer activity tracker is specifically designed for the sport which records a very literal measurement when it comes to your feet.
You can even gage your football skill level since some of the insole trackers show statistics about how often you use a specific part of your foot.
The insole tracker can also measure the speed of a player, which can help gauge how quick they are on the field.
Smart Video Cameras
A newer type of technology finding its way onto the field is a smart video recording.
If your club has the funds, you can ditch the prevalent video shot from the topmost bleacher and invest in AI.
The two 4K cameras are combined for a 180° degree shot while you play. These types of shots are great for reviewing your game from up above and even using the footage to help create the perfect highlight video.
Coach’s Favorite Tech: The Best Fitness Tracker for Soccer Coaches
If you’re a coach looking for very pivotal and tangible statistics to show your team (or at least use during your training sessions), there are so many different types of technology that can bring you an array of information right at your fingertips.
Investing in GPS Tracking can help give you a very accurate overview of every single player on the field, which can ultimately help your team as a whole. A football GPS tracker can provide various pieces of information, from the player’s condition to help avoid injury to an entire team’s performance.
If you’re more of a technical coach and want to work with players on their skills on the pitch, Insole Trackers can help show a player’s tendency during a game or training whether they play favorites with a particular foot or a part of their foot.
Using video can also be extremely helpful when it comes to looking at the team as a whole especially if you’re analyzing your team’s shape and showing each player what they’re doing in congruence with the rest of the team.
What Should We Track? The Primary Metrics to Track When Training
If you have the tools, the next thing to figure out is particularly what to track.
With all the technology at your disposal, you should need to know which statistics are more important for you to track.
If you’re looking to choose between players, as a coach, you might want a Playertek GPS, which offers data on distance, top speed, sprint distance and number of sprints during a match or training session.
This type of technology also gives you access to positional heat maps on the field to show positioning and tactics while in-play.
You can also take a particular player’s data and compare it with not only previous entries but also first and second halves, as well as other players including the pros to see where you need improvement!
A Word From FIFA: Tracking Our Players Into the Future
How does the world-leading soccer organization see the investment of FIFA approved GPS trackers?
The IMS standard, which is the International Match Standard, is being configured by the FIFA Football Technology Innovation Department. This standardization will help control wearable tracking systems used during a match.
In any FIFA-affiliated match, the player’s football tracker needs to have an IMS mark, which means that it should be accredited by an independent test institute. Although the players cannot use these “non FIFA-approved devices during matches since they’re not officially accredited, they are allowed to using it during training. However, the player or coach should be cautioned that using it can run the risk of it not being 100 percent accurate or reliable since they aren’t FIFA approved.
Reviewing the Market’s Best Soccer Trackers
To help you pick out the best soccer trackers, we’ve reviewed our favorite six products:
1. Playr
This FIFA-approved, wearable GPS tracker is a useful buy if you’re looking to record and analyze your own or your player’s soccer performance.
The combination of vest, tracker, and app is used to create a list of very useful statistics when it comes to analyzing and improving your game.
Not only do you have access to details measuring your speed, sprint, distance, power, and intensity but Playr uses the technology of heat maps to help keep track of your positioning throughout the entire training session or game. This data is then used to compare your previous performances and to see how you measure up against players all around the world.
The tracker
The tracker used here, called the SmartPod uses not only an advanced GPS tracker, but also an accelerometer to record all the necessary stats.
The vest
This pod is then inserted into the Playr’s SmartVest, which is designed with four-way flex and ultra compressive fabric.
The app
The data is then transferred in real-time to the Play App, with its easy-to-use view of performance data.
2. STATSports
Designed specifically for soccer, STATSports have found its way to the equipment list of some of the best soccer teams in the world.
The STATSports system uses unobtrusive feedback for not only each individual player, but also the entire team which is perfect for a coach. The monitor allows for live streaming in real-time through the app to allow coaches to monitor players and adjust training accordingly.
With its goal in effectively manage player conditioning levels to preventing injuries, STATSports uses the connectivity of its technology with other wearables to help increase user-friendliness.
3. Zepp Play
Although relatively young, this 2012 company has been used by several professional athletes. With access to the raw data collected from the Zepp Play sensor, players can access their need for improvement statistics to help improve as a player.
With a built-in track system, this sensor is connected to a smartphone app, which is completely free. After completing a few questions about your dominant leg, height, age, and weight, you’re ready to go, making set-up a breeze.
The sensor works with a lithium-ion rechargeable battery, holding for 40 hours of tracking per charge or 40 days in standby mode.
Zepp Play also gives you access to a video recording feature, which helps create high-quality highlight videos.
4. First11
Whether you’re an amateur or professional, First11 gives you access to a variety of statistics that can help you improve as a player from measuring kicks, movement, speed, strength, and calories burnt.
The system works with a dual sensor system used in both legs, a user-friendly app to view the data measured, and two comfortable elastic bands to keep the sensors in place. The built-in accumulator has a water-resistant design and can record data up to 150 minutes.
5. SPT2
This GPS tracker is not only FIFA-approved but has the technology to store over 10 hours of data and run for six hours of combined training, games, and fitness sessions.
To help you analyze your performance, this compact and lightweight system tracks distance, work rate, sprinting, impacts, intensity, and speed.
The SPT2 works via a chest piece, which is designed with elastane and nylon, which is then connected through GPS and IMU technology. Using advanced technology, like gyroscopes and accelerometers, you’ll have access to real-time, upgraded data, which is a great find for any player looking to improve their game.
FAQ for Prospective Users
Before you strap a newer on-the-market strap to your chest, you might have a few questions first.
In this section, we hope to answer any FAQs you may have:
Wrapping It Up: GPS Tracker for the Win
After reviewing our favorite six soccer trackers on the market, we want to declare a clear winner if you’re looking for the best product out there.
We know that you take your training seriously so having technology that can help you improve on a daily basis is essential to this ever-evolving sport.
Our Editor’s Choice for the best soccer tracker on the market is STATSports .
Not only will you have access to high-end technology that the pros work with, from using a GPS to accelerometer to heat positioning, but you’ll also be able to compare your individual performance to other players and personal previous performances.
Capable of holding up to 1,200 hours of data, STATSports is better than any product out there because it is efficient in measuring performance for the individual player, the team, and the coach.
We hope this guide has helped you pick out the best soccer tracker on the market for your playing experience.
