Playermaker
Israeli sports-technology company developing shoe-mounted player-tracking systems for football performance analysis.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Playermaker is an Israeli sports-technology company focused on wearable systems for measuring athletic performance, particularly in football and soccer. Its core product uses sensors attached to a player's footwear to capture movement and ball-interaction data. The resulting information is intended to help players, coaches, academies, clubs, and federations assess technical performance, support training decisions, monitor development, and identify patterns that may be relevant to injury prevention. The company was founded in 2017 by Guy Aharon and Yuval Odem, both of whom had previously served in the Israel Defense Forces. Its technological work predates the Playermaker name: the business began developing motion-tracking technology in 2014 under the name Motionize. This earlier work provided the foundation for a system designed to measure human movement through compact wearable sensors rather than relying exclusively on cameras, fixed stadium infrastructure, or conventional GPS-based devices. Playermaker's product concept is distinctive because the sensors are mounted on a player's shoes. This placement allows the system to collect information related to movement and football-specific actions, including aspects of running, changes of direction, and interaction with the ball. Data can then be reviewed through software and used in individual development, team training, talent identification, and performance analysis. The company's proposition is therefore positioned between consumer fitness wearables and professional sports-performance systems: it seeks to provide accessible, player-level feedback while also serving structured environments such as academies and clubs. The company has developed relationships across the football ecosystem. Its reported partners and users include football organizations and clubs such as Fulham and Rangers, as well as Elite Soccer Academy. It has also established relationships with the United States Soccer Federation and the Scottish Football Association. In November 2022, Playermaker and Manchester City introduced CityPlay, a co-branded offering combining Playermaker's analytical technology with Manchester City's educational and training content. The collaboration broadened the product's appeal beyond data collection by linking performance measurement with structured coaching material. Liverpool winger Harvey Elliott became a brand ambassador in 2022. Playermaker has attracted investment from sports and venture-capital investors. Reported backers include ADvantage, Ryan Sports Venture, Ventura Capital Group, and MIG Capital, while former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger invested in the company in 2019. By 2023, reported cumulative funding had reached $45 million; this figure is historical and reflects reported financing rather than a current valuation or revenue measure. A significant regulatory and technical milestone came through FIFA's innovation and quality-assurance framework. Playermaker was included in the FIFA Innovation Programme in 2021. After completing the programme's challenge, the company received FIFA quality certification for Electronic Performance Tracking Systems. In September 2023, it was reported as receiving FIFA certification permitting its wearable tracking system to be used in official match play. This recognition supports Playermaker's positioning as a football-specific performance technology provider rather than only a training accessory brand. Playermaker's publicly described business scope centers on wearable sensors, digital performance analysis, football education, and institutional partnerships. Its longer-term opportunity lies in making detailed technical and movement data useful to a broad range of participants, from individual players and parents to academies, professional clubs, and national organizations. Publicly available material does not establish a definitive current headquarters, ownership structure, executive roster, revenue figure, or complete international distribution footprint.
History
Playermaker's origins trace to 2014, when the business began developing technology for advanced human-motion tracking under the name Motionize. The early work centered on capturing movement through wearable devices and laid the technical groundwork for a sports-performance system designed around football use cases. Guy Aharon and Yuval Odem founded Playermaker in Israel in 2017. Both founders had previously served in the Israeli Defense Forces. Under the Playermaker identity, the company focused its product development on football players and coaches, using compact sensors attached to the player's shoes. This configuration was intended to provide detailed information about movement and football activity without requiring a player to remain inside a camera-equipped facility. The company's approach placed it within the expanding sports-performance technology sector. Its system was designed to collect data that could support performance analysis, player development, training customization, and injury-prevention work. The intended users included individual athletes, coaches, academies, professional clubs, and football governing bodies. This gave Playermaker both a direct-to-player proposition and an institutional business model based on adoption by organized football programs. Playermaker's investor profile developed alongside its partnerships. Arsène Wenger invested in the company in 2019. By 2023, the company was reported to have raised $45 million in total funding, with investors including ADvantage, Ryan Sports Venture, Ventura Capital Group, and MIG Capital. These investments supported the company's growth in product development, football partnerships, and market reach, although public sources do not provide a complete breakdown of funding rounds or current corporate ownership. Partnership activity became an important part of the brand's development. Playermaker worked with football academies and clubs, including Elite Soccer Academy, Fulham, and Rangers. It also established relationships with the United States Soccer Federation and the Scottish Football Association. These connections helped demonstrate the use of the technology across player-development environments and professional football organizations. In 2022, Liverpool winger Harvey Elliott became a Playermaker ambassador. Later that year, Playermaker and Manchester City launched CityPlay, a co-branded offering that combined Playermaker's player-analysis capabilities with Manchester City training and educational content. The initiative expanded the company's proposition from a sensor and analytics product into a more packaged development experience associated with a globally recognized football club. Regulatory recognition followed the company's partnership expansion. FIFA placed Playermaker in its Innovation Programme in 2021. The company completed the programme's assigned challenge and earned a FIFA quality certificate for Electronic Performance Tracking Systems. In September 2023, Playermaker was reported to have received FIFA certification allowing its wearable tracking system to be used during official matches. This was an important milestone because it addressed the legitimacy and permitted use of wearable performance-tracking equipment in formal competition. Playermaker is therefore best understood as a football-specialist sports-technology company rather than a conventional sporting-goods label. Its brand is built around shoe-mounted sensors, performance data, coaching applications, and partnerships with clubs, federations, and prominent football figures. Public reference material confirms its founding story, major partnerships, funding history, and FIFA-related milestones, but does not establish a detailed current leadership team, headquarters, revenue profile, or complete product catalog.
- 2023
FIFA quality certification and official-match approval
[1]Playermaker completed its FIFA Innovation Programme challenge and was reported to receive certification allowing its wearable tracking system to be used in official match play.
- 2022
CityPlay launches with Manchester City
[1]Playermaker and Manchester City introduced CityPlay, a co-branded product combining analysis with club training and educational content.
- 2021
Selected for the FIFA Innovation Programme
[1]Playermaker entered FIFA's Innovation Programme to evaluate and develop its electronic performance-tracking system.
- 2019
Arsène Wenger invests
[1]Former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger became an investor in Playermaker.
- 2017
Playermaker is founded
[1]Guy Aharon and Yuval Odem founded Playermaker in Israel.
- 2014
Motion-tracking development begins
[1]The business began developing advanced human-motion tracking technology under the earlier name Motionize.
Products and positioning
A football-focused sports-technology provider combining shoe-mounted motion sensors, player analytics, and development content for athletes, coaches, academies, clubs, and football organizations.
Wearable sports-performance technology
Playermaker wearable tracking system
Playermaker's core system uses sensors attached to a player's shoes to record movement and football-performance data. The technology is designed to give players, coaches, academies, and clubs an analytical view of training and match activity. Reported applications include performance assessment, player development, training design, and injury-prevention support. Its shoe-based design emphasizes football-specific movement and ball interaction rather than general wellness tracking.
Co-branded football training and analytics offering · 2022
CityPlay
CityPlay is a co-branded offering created by Playermaker and Manchester City. It combines Playermaker's player-analysis technology with Manchester City's training and educational content. The product was designed to connect quantitative performance feedback with structured football-development guidance, extending the use of the wearable system beyond data collection alone.
Marketing campaigns
- 2022CityPlay
International football markets
Playermaker partnered with Manchester City to launch CityPlay, linking the brand's wearable analysis system with Manchester City training and educational content.
Outcome. The collaboration strengthened Playermaker's association with elite football and presented its technology as part of a broader player-development proposition.
- 2022Harvey Elliott ambassador partnership
International football markets
Liverpool winger Harvey Elliott became a Playermaker brand ambassador, giving the company a high-profile player association.
Outcome. The partnership increased the brand's visibility among football audiences, although publicly available material does not quantify its commercial effect.
Brand decisions
2023
Pursue FIFA certification for official match useOtherBackground
Wearable tracking systems used in formal competition require recognition within relevant football technology and equipment frameworks.
Action taken
Playermaker completed the FIFA Innovation Programme challenge and obtained an Electronic Performance Tracking Systems quality certificate, followed by reported approval for official match use.
Aftermath
The certification supported the company's credibility with professional clubs, federations, and competition organizers.
2022
Launch CityPlay with Manchester CityProduct launchBackground
Playermaker sought to connect its performance-tracking technology with practical football-development content.
Action taken
The company collaborated with Manchester City on CityPlay, a co-branded product combining player analysis with training and educational material.
Aftermath
The launch expanded the brand's proposition from wearable measurement toward an integrated training and learning experience.
2017
Focus the company on football-specific wearable analyticsStrategyBackground
The earlier Motionize work concerned advanced human-motion tracking. After the company's 2017 founding, Playermaker developed the technology around football players, coaches, academies, and clubs.
Action taken
The company built a shoe-mounted sensor system intended to capture football-relevant movement and performance data.
Aftermath
This specialization shaped Playermaker's partnerships, product positioning, and later FIFA certification efforts.
Recent events
- 2023
Playermaker receives FIFA certification for official match use[1]
Regulation
After completing the FIFA Innovation Programme challenge and receiving Electronic Performance Tracking Systems quality certification, Playermaker was reported to have received approval for its wearable tracking system to be used in official matches.
- 2023
Playermaker reports $45 million in total funding[1]
Other
By 2023, Playermaker had reportedly raised a cumulative $45 million from investors including ADvantage, Ryan Sports Venture, Ventura Capital Group, and MIG Capital.
- 2022
Harvey Elliott becomes a Playermaker brand ambassador[1]
Campaign
Liverpool winger Harvey Elliott became an ambassador for Playermaker, supporting the brand's visibility among football players and fans.
- 2022
Playermaker and Manchester City launch CityPlay[1]
Product launch · Campaign
Playermaker and Manchester City launched CityPlay, a co-branded product and content offering combining player analysis with Manchester City training and educational material.
- 2021
Playermaker enters the FIFA Innovation Programme[1]
Other
Playermaker was selected for the FIFA Innovation Programme, through which it tested and developed its electronic performance-tracking technology within FIFA's evaluation framework.
- 2019
Arsène Wenger invests in Playermaker[1]
Other
Former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger invested in Playermaker, adding a prominent football figure to the company's investor base.
Sources1 sources
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