Technology in soccer: An overview of five new advancements in the sport

Some of the technological advancements in soccer have raised eyebrows in recent years.

Advancements in technology are made each day and it’s no secret that these have been applied to various sports, and this includes soccer. However, due to the abundance of soccer leagues, some of them don’t use specific types of technology due to the preference of the fans. However, nine times out of ten, this technology has proven to be extremely helpful and has assisted match officials in making the right call.

Let’s take a closer look at the technology that’s used in modern soccer along with a brief explanation as to how it works on a guide that’s easy to navigate.

Goal Line Technology

Goal-line technology is the most important aspect of the game as it will determine whether or not a goal is valid. This technology is used to inspect if the ball has crossed the goal line completely, and if it doesn’t then the goal doesn’t stand. There are various types of goal-line technology, all of them have to be completely accurate, instantaneous, should only apply to goal-line scenarios, and should only be communicated to match official

Smart Ball System

The smart ball system is a promising system that’s equipped with a sensor that’s suspended within the ball. This technology works in tandem with a range of receivers that are located around the pitch and this is used to track the ball with extreme accuracy. This will also notify the match officials exactly when the ball has crossed the goal line and the information will be available on a smartwatch receiver that’s worn by the referee

Hawkeye System

The Hawkeye system is an established piece of technology that’s been used in tennis and cricket, whereas the version that’s been used in soccer has been doing very well. This system works with three cameras that are fixed on the goal line, with each camera capturing the event at 600 frames per second. This makes it easy for the match official to determine whether the ball has crossed the line. If the ball has crossed the line, the referee will hear a sound within a fraction of a second.

Goal Ref System

This is a system that operates via radio and makes use of low-frequency magnetic fields and this will determine whether the entire ball has gone beyond the goal-line. This technology uses a pair of magnetic fields, with one of which is part of a passive electrical circuit fixed into the ball and the other is attached to the goal employing coils. Once the ball has crossed the goal line, the referee will be instantly notified

VAR – Video Assistant Referee

Possibly the most controversial addition to modern football, VAR is used to review decisions regarding penalties, red cards, mistaken identity in awarding a card, and goal decisions. The VAR reviews high-quality replays of the event that took place and this will help the match official to make an educated decision. VAR has been a part of soccer since the 2018 World Cup, and this is where it showed the benefits.

This is also great for checking if players are diving and whether a penalty is deserved, which has been a long-standing issue that didn’t seem to have a concrete solution, until now. Many experts and players have criticized VAR for ruining the tempo and the purity of the game, but it seems like it’s here to stay, and we think that it’s been great so far.

Foam Technology

Vanishing foam is used by the referee to ensure that players are taking set-pieces from the correct location and that the opposing team’s wall is where it’s meant to be. This also prevents players from creeping forward, which was inevitable in the past. The foam is made from an 80/20 mixture of water and butane along with a small amount of surfactant. Once the foam has been released from the can, it starts to expand due to the change in pressure.The foam eventually evaporates and this only leaves water on the ground, with the marks completely vanishing after a minute. This was first introduced during the 2014 World Cup after a trial at the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup, 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup, and the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup.

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