08 Ago A comparison of a GPS device and a multi-camera video technology during official soccer matches: Agreement between systems
Practical Summary for Coaches and Analysts:
How reliable are your tracking tools? In this study, we compared two of the most commonly used technologies in elite football: GPS devices (Wimu Pro) and multi-camera video systems (Mediacoach) during 38 official matches with professional players from FC Barcelona B. The goal: understand if the physical performance data from both systems can be trusted — and interchanged.
What did we find?
Both systems produced almost identical data when measuring key physical indicators like total distance, high-speed running, or sprinting. Differences were minimal, and consistent — Mediacoach slightly overestimated distances at higher speeds, while GPS slightly overestimated max and average speed.
Why does it matter?
This means clubs can confidently use either system — even interchangeably — for match analysis and physical monitoring, especially when facing technical issues (e.g., stadiums with poor GPS reception). We even developed conversion formulas so your staff can translate data between systems accurately, supporting long-term consistency in load management and player profiling.
Takeaway for your daily work:
Whether you’re planning recovery strategies post-match, analyzing sprint demands by position, or adjusting weekly training loads, you can rely on either Mediacoach or Wimu Pro — and switch between them without compromising data integrity. This is particularly valuable for clubs working across different contexts (e.g., training vs. matchdays) or integrating datasets from multiple competitions.
Bonus: Mediacoach offers an extra edge with its ability to track technical-tactical aspects (e.g., ball position, team structure), making it a powerful tool for integrated performance analysis.
Read the full research article (DOI): https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0220729