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Esports are growing in popularity and revolves around the use of video games to create single and multiplayer competitions.
The biggest-selling games on the leading consoles invite players from all over the globe to turn from a casual gamer into a professional competitor who is signed by a real-world club.
In Australia, the ‘E-League’ is in its second season and features every team from the Hyundai A-League playing FIFA 19 on Playstation and Xbox.
They sign one player from each console who then pair up to represent the A-League in virtual form. FIFA’s main game mode ‘Ultimate Team’ sees each competitor make a squad of their choice which must have at least three current players from the club they are representing.
Played in a similar manner to real life counterparts, matches run over nine rounds but in two-legged ties given a typical match of FIFA 19 lasts 12 minutes. That is followed by a finals series to determine the overall winner. The E-League also serves as part of the qualification process for the FIFA eWorld Cup.
The best part about the E-League is that it’s open to anyone who does excel in FIFA games through practice and skills. The Weekend League, which has a rank based on wins out of 30 games, puts potential E-League players on the map with leaderboards for their own country and overall amongst all players.
The E-League is gaining publicity through the media coverage provided by Fox Sports and streaming service Twitch. With the E-League only a couple seasons in, expect more people to push for selection as a professional gamer.
Hailing from France, Footbar is a football technology startup aiming to boost personal performance by providing individualised data to athletes via the organisation’s flagship product – the Meteor tracker. 
Guided by the desire to “democratise access to artificial intelligence in soccer”, Footbar’s Meteor tracker is a non-intrusive and affordable product designed for use by amateurs and professionals.
Headed by experienced individuals in the footballing world such as Stéphane Martin (former president of Girondins de Bordeaux) and Jacques D’Arrigo (former director at Nike and Girondins de Bordeaux), the company has flourished.
Having previously been recognised as the first tracker to be endorsed by the KNVB (Dutch Football Association) and awarded by the FFF (French Football Federation), Footbar has also enjoyed an extremely successful 2024.
Commercially, the company sold over 30,000 trackers across the year while crucially expanding its club portfolio through gaining 80 contracts with professional and amateur clubs, including big names such as RB Leipzig, Rayo Vallecano, FC Groningen and FC Metz.
The Meteor Tracker
Designed for clubs and players across the world, the Meteor tracker is an easy to use and comfortable tool.
Instead of being obtuse, bulky or heavy, the Meteor is an incredibly small and lightweight device that either sits in a leg sleeve or is strapped to an athletes’ calf, depending on the player’s choice, in order to measure their performance.
Validated and certified through rigorous testing by Dutch sports analysis company Inmotio, Footbar’s Meteor tracker has been proven to accurately track two types of data.
The first type is technical data, this range of statistics covers explicit footballing actions. Meteor records the following technical data:
Shots: Number of shots taken, including clearances and crosses.
Max Shot: Fastest shot taken, recorded in km/h.
Average Shot: Average speed in km/h of all shots taken.
Pass: Number of passes made.
Possession: Number of seconds with ball.
The second set of data is physical data, covering non-footballing actions. Meteor tracks physical data such as.
Distance: Total distance moved, recording in kilometers.
Activity: Proportion of distance covered while running.
Sprint Max: Fastest speed achieved.
Race: Total time ran, recorded in minutes and seconds.
Sprints: Number of times a player recorded a speed 30% above average pace.
Average Sprint: The average speed of all recorded sprints.
Utilising artificial intelligence, Footbar breaks down all data recorded by the Meteor and conveys into a digestible format which can be simply accessed through the tracker’s companion app “Footbar”, available on the Apple App Store, or Google Play. This allows coaches and players to access match data on the fly, in their hand, in an easily understandable package.
Acknowledging the long stints players are active for, Footbar has developed the Meteor tracker to be operational for six hours without charging, ensuring coaches do not have to worry about recharging equipment in-between double header matches or long training sessions, letting them focus on what is important.
However, in the event the Meteor tracker needs to recharge, the device has a rapid average charging time of 30 minutes, allowing it to be quickly ready for action. Additionally, the Meteor tracker utilises a small USB adapter, making it easily portable and versatile.
Conclusion
Having delivered 30,000 products to professional and amateur clubs, across all continents and in 134 countries, Footbar has evolved from a simple start up to a global frontrunner through delivering a world-leading product in the Meteor tracker.
Armed with a global face advertising the brand in Raphaël Varane, Footbar continues to grow, achieving 12 million views on TikTok in 2024 from 30,000 in 2023.
As the organisation’s momentum continues to push it further into the future, the Meteor repeatedly delivers excellence for clubs across the world and could be a valuable tool to elevate those looking to improve.
Former Japanese soccer star Keisuke Honda has scored another win off the pitch, his venture capital firm, X&KSK Fund, has secured $158 million to invest in tech start-ups specialising in AI and cutting-edge business solutions.
Over 20 investors are supporting Honda’s fund, including prominent Japanese financial institutions like Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp, Nomura Holdings, and SBI Holdings. Notably, SBI Holdings and SBI Shinsei Bank have contributed a combined $20.46 million (¥2 billion), making them the fund’s largest stakeholders.
Shohei Yamada, a partner at SBI Investment, highlighted that the goal of this investment is to expand its network of international investors and promote Japanese start-ups. In Japan, where the number of so-called “unicorn” companies—those valued at over $1.61 billion—remains limited, this initiative represents a significant step forward for the local start-up ecosystem.
Keisuke Honda, known for his stellar performances at CSKA Moscow, AC Milan, and three consecutive World Cups, has been expanding his business ventures. Together with American actor Will Smith, he co-founded Dreamers VC. His goal is to create a “decacorn”—a private company valued at over $16.17 billion in Japan.
Honda is aware establishing a decacorn is rare in Japan, however, he is assertive it can be achieved.
“I’m aware that creating a decacorn in Japan is a very difficult challenge, but considering what the Japanese have already achieved, I believe it is possible,” he said via email interview.
The former AC Milan midfielder recognized that his soccer fame opens doors to profitable investment opportunities. He also pointed out that, unlike in the U.S., celebrities in Japan are typically reluctant to openly talk about their investments.
Although the number of start-ups in Japan is on the rise, the country still falls short in producing unicorns. A report from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry highlights that fostering start-up growth requires improved access to significant funding.
In 2022, Japanese start-ups raised a record ¥978.2 billion (10.01 billion AUD), but this figure dropped to ¥803.9 billion (8.22 billion AUD) in the following year. Despite the decline, it still represents a fivefold increase compared to 2014.
The X&KSK Fund seeks to back innovative projects and promote cutting-edge technologies. This initiative marks a significant milestone for Keisuke Honda and Japan’s emerging start-up ecosystem, bringing fresh momentum to its expansion.
Keisuke Honda’s involvement in the X&KSK Fund represents a significant shift in how athletes, especially football players, are positioning themselves within the broader business and tech world.
Historically, athletes, particularly in football, have often focused on careers post-retirement that include media ventures, sponsorships, or brand endorsements. However, Honda’s active role in venture capital, particularly in sectors like AI and tech innovation, signals a new wave of athlete entrepreneurs taking a more hands-on approach in shaping the future industries.
This shift is particularly important because football players, given their fame and influence, have the potential to leverage their personal brands to foster meaningful change within industries beyond sports.
Players such as Honda, who have gained global recognition, can access exclusive investment opportunities that might otherwise be difficult to reach for traditional investors.
By actively participating in initiatives like Dreamers VC, Honda is not just a figurehead—he’s an active contributor to the creation of business ecosystems that can have a lasting impact on both the tech industry and Japan’s start-up scene.
Moreover, for footballers, particularly those who achieve global success, such investments can be a smart way to secure long-term financial stability post-retirement, as they can often face a shorter career span.
The increased involvement of athletes in high-level investments allows them to diversify their portfolios and contribute to industries that influence the future of society. This trend is beginning to reshape how sports figures are perceived, from being athletes to being influential business leaders and investors.
