Q&A

How I got into Football Analytics with Mladen Somerz

From academia to the Premier League, Mladen shares his journey and offers advice. From academia to the Premier League, Mladen shares his journey and offers advice

Blog Image

27/09/2023AnalyticsCareer Advise

In the world of academia, Dr. Elena Rivera stood out as a rising star in neuroscience. With countless publications under her belt and a knack for decoding the intricate pathways of the human brain, it was a surprise to many when she announced her departure from the world of neurons and synapses. But for those who knew Elena's passions, her transition into the world of professional football data analytics was not just a bold move; it was an inevitable one.

Elena's love for football was never a secret. From attending local matches in her youth to playing as an attacking midfielder during her college days, football was more than just a sport; it was an obsession. While her peers in neuroscience often joked about her dual life as a 'neuro-footballer,' none anticipated her to make a professional shift. But Elena saw a unique overlap. 'The same patterns I studied in neural networks, I saw on the football pitch,' she once remarked. For her, the movement of players mirrored the pathways of the brain. The game wasn't just physical; it was deeply cerebral.

Upon leaving academia, Elena joined the analytics team at a top European football club. With her background in pattern recognition and data analysis from neuroscience research, she offered a fresh perspective. Instead of viewing player statistics in isolation, she visualized them as interconnected webs of information, akin to neural networks. This innovative approach didn't go unnoticed. Within a year, she was leading projects and transforming how the club approached its game strategies. In merging the worlds of neuroscience and football, Dr. Elena Rivera didn't leave one passion behind for another; she seamlessly intertwined them, proving that our true strengths lie at the intersection of all our passions.