The CIES Football Observatory is comprised of four people: three researchers (Drs Raffaele Poli, Roger Besson and Loïc Ravenel) and a collaborator responsible for the gathering of data (Andrea Pessina). The Observatory also benefits from the support of the staff of the Centre International d’Etude du Sport (CIES).

Our mission is to advance the frontiers of knowledge for the sustainable development of football worldwide.

Since its creation in 2005 by Raffaele Poli and Loïc Ravenel, the CIES Football Observatory has become a reference point in the demographic analysis of the football players’ labour market, the technical analysis of player performance and the scientific estimation of transfer values.

Researchers from the CIES Football Observatory are specialists in quantitative methods. The services provided include the mining of data and its visual representation. We also have expertise in the production of data through questionnaire surveys, as well as in the editing of research reports.

The CIES Football Observatory has been regularly mandated by prestigious organisations such as, among others, FIFA, UEFA, City Football Group, Chelsea FC, Club Atlético de Madrid and SL Benfica. Mandates have also been carried out through the wider remit of the CIES Sports Observatory for organisations such as FIBA and the IOC.

The CIES Football Observatory enjoys considerable success and a rapidly growing reputation. More than 28,000 subscribers receive our newsletters. The website records more than one million visits per year. The Twitter account of the CIES Football Observatory has more than 41,000 followers, while the Facebook page is available here. The group also has an Instagram account.