KickID and MRM Sport Capital launch a game-changing partnership

KickID has officially landed in South Africa, following the signing of an agreement with MRM Sport Capital, in Sandton, on Monday, 31 March.

The KickID Player rating system offers a gamified, data-driven, and contextualised assessment of soccer skills across six essential sub-categories: passing, defence, control, physicality, dribbling, and impact.

Each player is provided with a scorecard within the app, designed similarly to EA Sports FC25, which presents a fun and engaging way to visualise performance, along with personalised and highlighted player videos.

A standardised rating system facilitates global player comparisons, irrespective of age or skill level.

Founded in Germany, KickID has branches in several countries, including China, Egypt, India, the United States of America, and the United Arab Emirates, and now it’s officially in South Africa through its partnership with MRM Sport Capital.

MRM Sport Capital is a leading sports investment firm with a global footprint. It’s engaged in a broad array of sports-related investments and services. It also has the official rights to run the programme in South Africa.

SuperSport Schools Plus spoke with Aladin Halil, the Co-founder and Group Chief Technology Officer of KickID, and Mulalo Mbulaheni, the Senior Sports Analyst at MRM Sports Capital.

Halil expressed his excitement following the agreement between KickID and MRM Sport Capital, noting that when they initiated their journey with KickID, there was a complete absence of data about grassroots and amateur football.

“The whole idea started when we saw those panini stickers, you know the collective stickers, with stats of pro players. So what we wanted, or what we thought, is why not transfer this for kids, because kids can have their own stickers, similar to FIFA or EAFC?

“I guess the importance is that you are able, for the first time, as a kid or youth player, to see where your weaknesses are.”

Halil said that when a player excels, they often receive praise for their skills, but rarely do they receive constructive feedback on areas for improvement.

He also said KickID provides players and coaches with the tools to discover effective training patterns, pinpoint essential areas for development, and recognise players’ strengths.

In today’s digital age, Halil observed that children typically spend a significant amount of time on social media platforms like Instagram or playing video games on PlayStation or XBox. With KickID, he expressed a desire to gamify the entire experience.

He said that efforts are underway to expand KickID into additional markets. To facilitate this expansion, they have sought strong partnerships, such as with MRM Sport Capital.

Halil said KickID is focused on achieving a global reach and, he said, further partnerships are taking place around the world.

Regarding the timeline for the full launch of KickID in South Africa, Halil said a proof of concept has already been conducted with Global Soccer Schools. He confirmed that the necessary equipment is already in the country, which means KickID will shortly launch on a larger scale in the country.

Mbulaheni said the initiative represents a significant advancement for South African football, particularly at the grassroots level.

He noted that both academies and players will gain valuable insights from the system, allowing them to assess a player’s performance and fast-track work on critical areas that require improvement.

KickID serves as an excellent resource for academy players, aiding them in their individual development programmes, Mbulaheni said.

“As a player, their point system and their performance allows them to be seen from a scouting perspective,” he explained.

Mbulaheni said of the official pilot of the KickID South Africa programme: “We did it with u11 and u13 players with Global Soccer Schools, and from now on, moving forward, it’s accessible to academies and various teams.”

“They can contact us if they have an interest in us coming over with the equipment and running tests for them.

“We are ready to bring it to the teams so that they can also gain the benefits of KickID.”

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Siya Pongco

A passionate reader and dedicated writer, Siya possesses three degrees from Rhodes University including a Postgraduate Diploma at Rhodes University. He also played amateur cricket and soccer, both during his university years. While honing his journalism skills at Grocott’s Mail in Makhanda, he developed a profound interest in the community’s response to crime. Additionally, he covered topics such as art/culture and student politics at Rhodes University in 2022. In his spare time, Siya can be found exploring galleries, dining at restaurants, indulging in literature, taking photographs or savouring his favourite dish, spaghetti.

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