By 2 min readJune 2, 2026 – 11:46AMAFP
Publication Date: 2026-06-02 01:46:00
Brazilian teenager Leo Veiga had almost given up on his dream of becoming a professional footballer when artificial intelligence helped him secure a place in an Italian club’s youth team.
Tech companies promising to “democratize” football are launching apps that allow young players to upload videos recorded on their phones showing off their ball skills.
AI is then used to analyze and evaluate their performance, which is sent to scouts and clubs.
Veiga, 18, was stuck playing for a small club in his home state of Santa Catarina in southern Brazil when he discovered one of these apps from Swiss company Footbao.
A YouTube video offered the highest scoring users a chance to train with Italian club Lecce for a few days. Veiga was selected and caught the attention of a scout who decided to take a chance.
“AI has opened a new door,” he told AFP from Italy, where he is now contracted to the youth academy of club Spezia, which plays in the Italian second division.
“I thought,…