Expect More Stars Like De Bruyne If Virtual Reality Breaks Into Soccer

Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne is an excellent soccer player on the ball. Yet his elite-level badge comes from what he does without it. Or, more precisely, what he does moments before it touches his waiting feet—as he looks around, finds space and decides what to do next.

The Netherlands and Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff once said, “Don’t run so much. Football (soccer) is a game you play in your head.” And with modern-day professionals already in superb physical condition, the difference between good and great ones rests on understanding the field around them and making the right calls under pressure.

That’s where virtual reality can make a difference. The technology has already reached gamers, film lovers and even pupils in the classroom. Now, it’s making inroads into soccer, providing budding stars with an immersive virtual field where they can watch other players’ movements and choose in-game actions with a headset, buttons and a small area to practise.

Should VR become more widespread in training the next generation, it may result in talents who can read games, not just play them. Some already doing this are Lionel Messi, Luka Modric and David Silva, who, alongside the Belgian whizz De Bruyne, are all over 30 years old and without such a hi-tech education. In the women’s game, Ada Hegerberg and Caroline Graham Hansen are prime examples, too.

“Our aim is to give the user a FIFA game-like experience, to make the training as match-like as possible,” said Andreas Olsen, the CEO at Be Your Best, a software company which provides users with this simulated soccer experience and scores based on their performance. Its service has been commercial for over half a year and has two first-person modes: an in-play situation and a five-minute match for its paying clients.

“It’s all about you in the spotlight, exposed to scenarios built from the Premier League and Champions League,” he added.

One player who has tried the product is 19-year-old Andreas Schjelderup, in whom Portuguese champion Benfica has invested a potential €15 million ($16 million) after signing him in January. The young Norwegian has been impressed so far.

“I’ve used Be Your Best for about two years,” he said. “It’s been a great tool for me as a warm-up before training and games. And to develop my scanning (seeing the game around you) even more, become better, and take my game to the next level.

“Of course, I would like to see more people use this. And I know more people will use it because this is the future.”

Will Virtual Reality Change The Game?

VR is not a staple across elite teams in Europe and beyond. For services aiming to break into clubs, it’s a lengthy process, especially with so many platforms aiming to do the same. That’s why a few like Be Your Best are instead looking to reach big names first—like complementary Arsenal skipper Ødegaard—and progress from there.

Regarding VR, the potential use among those out of action is a distinct selling point.

“This is something you can do in your living room,” continues Olsen. “You don’t need more than one square meter in space. You only stand, using the controllers for movements and turn your head to scan around you. There’s no running or physical load. You can do this while being seriously injured. It’s only about what happens in the head.”

It also saves time, allowing players to effectively hone their skills in 15-minute bursts rather than wait around during longer, real-life matches or training sessions. It looks pretty fun, as well, and would be popular among players like the Liverpool striker Diogo Jota—a serious FIFA gamer who has previously benefitted from the title when unavailable.

On the other hand, making pricey VR equipment and software readily available to everyone remains a challenge. If the idea takes off, successfully marketing it will be crucial.

Although probable, we are yet to see whether it will produce better players, either, simply because it hasn’t reached all corners of the sport. In a decade or so, when it perhaps becomes mainstream—and not just tested at tech-savvy clubs like Borussia Dortmund in Germany—everyone will know what it can offer.

For the time being, in an era where teams and players are looking for marginal gains by thinking outside the box, there is every chance it may assist a new wave of players in years to come—those in a similar mould to a Treble-winning Belgian at City.