IF Brommapojkarna - Tradition, Talent and Data.
Marcus Bring, Performance analyst for IF Brommapojkarna.
When you think of Brommapojkarna, one thing comes to mind: talent. The Stockholm-based club has earned its reputation as one of the greatest talent producers in the world, nurturing players like Dejan Kulusevski, Viktor Gyökeres, and Lucas Bergvall—who now shine on the global stage and represent Sweden at the highest level. But in recent years, the club has quietly added another weapon to its arsenal: data.
To learn more about this transformation, we sat down with Marcus Bring, Brommapojkarna’s performance analyst, who was brought in during 2023 to lead their growing data department. He offered a fascinating glimpse into how the club is evolving, blending data with tradition to stay ahead in the ultra-competitive world of football.
Viktor Gyökeres Spider diagram compared to all forwards in europes top 5 leagues. Metrics come from our forward preset (KPIs with highest impact on performance for the position).
Data Meets Tradition
Brommapojkarna’s embrace of a data-driven approach began in 2022, initially with the first team. But by 2023, they made a decisive move by hiring Marcus Bring to integrate data more deeply into their operations. Today, the balance between traditional scouting and data-driven insights is almost evenly split.
“We’ve reached a point where it’s about 50/50 between video/traditional scouting and data,” Marcus explains - “But what’s key is that no significant signing happens without first going through the data department. If the data doesn’t look good, we almost immediately rule out the player.”
This isn’t just about crunching numbers. Brommapojkarna has developed custom algorithms and datapoints tailored to their unique football philosophy.
“We know exactly what we’re looking for,” Marcus says. “It’s not just raw stats—it’s specific attributes that align with how we want to play.”
The Power of PlaymakerAI: Quick, Actionable Insights
A cornerstone of Brommapojkarna’s data revolution is their use of PlaymakerAI, a cutting-edge platform that provides fast, actionable insights on players. According to Marcus, the platform’s ability to deliver data quickly has transformed how they evaluate talent.
“We get a lot of tips from agents,” he explains. “The beauty of PlaymakerAI is that within two minutes, we can get a comprehensive overview of any player and see if they match our setup and philosophy. If they don’t, we can move on quickly. If they do, we can dig deeper.”
This efficiency is crucial in a world where time is often the difference between landing a top prospect or missing out. “It saves us so much time,” Marcus adds. “And it ensures we’re focusing our energy on the right players.”
A Collaborative Process
What makes Brommapojkarna’s approach particularly effective is the close partnership between the data department, traditional scouts, and the sporting director. This collaboration ensures that data isn’t used in isolation but as part of a broader decision-making process.
“Our scouts play a crucial role,” Marcus emphasizes. “Data gives us a starting point, but we combine it with video and what the scouts see on the ground. It’s about using all the tools at our disposal to make the best decisions.”
While the club still uses video platforms in certain contexts, Marcus acknowledges that there’s a clear shift toward a more data-driven approach. “We’re in a transition phase, but the direction is clear. Data is becoming central to everything we do.”
Here is a Heatmap of the passes made by IF Brommapojkarna where the passing sequence has led to a shot.
Expanding the Data Revolution to the Academy
Brommapojkarna’s academy is already one of the most successful in the world, consistently producing players for Sweden’s youth national teams and beyond. But Marcus sees room for even greater integration of data within the academy.
“There’s a lot more we can do,” he admits. “The academy is a massive part of our identity, and bringing this data-driven approach there is the next step. We’re already world-class, but we want to get even better.”
One area of focus is opponent analysis, where Marcus believes there is significant potential for improvement. “We’re not just looking at player development, we want to be more effective in how we prepare for matches. That’s where data can give us an edge.”
If Brommapojkarna finished the season at 10th place. (As expected.)
Tradition Meets Innovation
Despite the club’s embrace of data, Marcus is quick to point out that Brommapojkarna’s success is still rooted in its culture and mentality. “What sets us apart is the mindset. Players here are hungry. They push each other to be better every day, and that competitive environment is something you can’t replicate with data alone.”
But by combining this winning mentality with cutting-edge technology like PlaymakerAI, Brommapojkarna is positioning itself to stay ahead of the curve. “It’s not about choosing between tradition and innovation,” Marcus concludes. “It’s about using both to build something greater. And that’s what we’re doing here.”
As Brommapojkarna continues to develop world-class talent and embrace new tools like PlaymakerAI, one thing is clear: the club’s best days are still ahead. And with Marcus Bring and his data-driven approach leading the charge, the next generation of stars may shine even brighter.
