Years of experience, industry-specific know-how and a global crosslinked structure make RunningBall (RB) the Number One in the real-time sports information sector. Since 2006, RB has established an extensive network of scouts attending more than 35,000 matches per year. As a leading supplier of computer-aided football match analyses, RB has joined efforts with the Football Observatory to deepen the level of information and develop new analyses. Data are being collected by way of a patented, high-quality software and hardware package, which provides live statistics. See on www.rball.com.

Since 1996 Opta has been the leader in the collection and analysis of statistics on football teams and players. With data collated from over 120 competitions and with the largest historic database of performance data, Opta has a long list of clients among clubs and the media. The collaboration with the Football Observatory consists of developing objective indicators on performances of footballers in the best leagues. This information can be used to identify players of rising talent and those performing at the highest level. Part of the analysis is published in the Annual Review. For more data, write to info@optasports.com or eurofootplayers@unine.ch. For more information on Opta, please visit www.optasports.com.

Since 2000, SoccerAssociation.com has built an impressive database providing comprehensive player data on footballers from all over the world. Based in Nottingham, England, the website covers more than 150 worldwide leagues. The information is regularly updated and is a very reliable source for football clubs, agents, scouts and media. The partnership with the Football Observatory has provided invaluable data in our continued research and analysis of demographic trends and their impact on club results.

www.soccerassociation.com

Through its creator, Souleymane THIAM, the Besançon-based computing company I@D Informatique was involved in setting up of the Observatory from the outset. The company provides expertise in the creation and development of data models for web-based automated calculations and for publishing on-line statistical indicators.

Website : www.iad-informatique.com

A leading West-African team, having won the CAF Champions League, ASEC MIMOSAS of Abidjan (Ivory Coast) benefits from the expertise of the Football Observatory in order to better target the leagues and clubs that offer the best career opportunities for talents trained within the MimoSifcom Academy. The common objective is to create conditions so the players leave for teams that are not only in the best position to host their talents, but also at the right moment once they have acquired sufficient high-level experience in the ASEC A-team. Website: www.asec.ci

Based in Birmingham, Scout7 is a company that works with the biggest European clubs with the aim of optimising recruitment systems by developing IT systems promoting the exchange of information and databases on the career paths of players. Put in place in 2008, our partnership is based on the reciprocal exchange of data and the production of special reports for personnel dealing with club transfers.

Website : www.scout7.com