Originally adopted by professional clubs and elite academies - including Premier League clubs Liverpool, Aston Villa and Manchester City with which they have partnered for a broader cooperation called Cityplay - Playermaker has now made its way to the US as MLS teams and the US national team have also started using this innovative tracking device. The innovative tracking device has now been adopted into grassroots football as well, empowering kids and their families to take training and performance tracking into their own hands.
But Playermaker is more than just a performance analytics tool—it’s becoming a bridge between generations. By allowing parents to engage with their children’s football journey in a meaningful, data-driven way, it helps build stronger relationships through shared goals and quality time.
Turning Every Kick Into Insight
At its core, Playermaker – Headquartered in Israel - is a smart wearable device attached to a player’s boots. It tracks a range of performance metrics—touches, passes, speed, distance, ball control, foot usage, and more—with unmatched accuracy. Unlike GPS vests or fitness watches, Playermaker focuses specifically on football actions, offering insights that are directly applicable to a player's development.
For young players, this means the ability to train smarter, not just harder – and to take accountability for their development. They can monitor how many touches they get with each foot, how balanced their play is, how fast they move with the ball, and how often they’re engaging in key football actions. This detailed feedback is converted into scoring for the elements of the game, which guides the players through what and how they should improve. Previously accessible only to top-tier professionals and now in the hands (or rather, at the feet) of young aspirants.
Motivation Through Measurable Progress
One of the key challenges in youth sports is keeping children motivated and engaged, especially in an age dominated by screens and short attention spans. Playermaker gamifies development by turning everyday training into a measurable experience. Players can set goals, track personal bests, and see tangible improvements over time—fostering a sense of ownership and accomplishment.
For young footballers, this becomes incredibly motivating. Seeing that they improved their weaker foot usage by 20% over the past month or increased their average dribble speed can spark pride and boost confidence. It encourages consistency and transforms repetitive drills into purposeful practice.
A New Kind of Quality Time
Perhaps most uniquely, Playermaker offers parents an opportunity to become active, informed participants in their children’s sporting lives. Instead of simply watching from the sidelines, parents can review training data, help set goals, and even structure backyard training sessions based on real performance insights.
Here is what Nico, a young player from DC soccer club had to say: “I think it’s really smart you can send it (practice session analysis) to 3 people, so I send it to my mom, my dad and my coach so they can look at it and tell me nice job.”
Nico’s mother agrees: “For the kids who are really determined to go to the next level it’s super helpful, because it just helps them understand what areas they need to improve in.”
For families where sports are a shared passion, Playermaker becomes a platform for bonding—whether it's analyzing stats over breakfast, setting weekend training challenges, or watching skills progress together.
Coaches and Clubs Benefit Too
Many local clubs and coaches are also integrating Playermaker into their youth programs. This helps standardize performance tracking and provides coaches with objective data to support individualized training. It also fosters transparency between coaches and parents, aligning everyone around a shared vision of development.
Derwayne Mitchell, a coach from Manchester City football academy says that “The modern-day game is built on stats…and that’s what a tool like Playermaker can give you. If you got something visual you can show the player, like Playermaker, you could show it to the players directly on the phone.”
When parents see the same progress data that coaches do, it creates a more trusting and collaborative environment. And when players can track their own stats, they become more engaged, more disciplined, and more aware of their role within a team.
The Future of Youth Football
As sports tech continues to democratize, tools like Playermaker are helping bridge the gap between professional-level training and youth development. By combining performance analytics with accessibility and family engagement, it’s not only creating better footballers, it’s creating stronger family connections, lifelong habits, and a new culture around youth sports.
In a world where quality time is increasingly scarce, and meaningful interaction is often overshadowed by digital distractions, Playermaker offers a rare opportunity: to connect, to grow, and to play—together.
For more information: Playermaker website
This article was written in cooperation with Playermaker