Where Theory Meets Practice
Highly motivated and full of curiosity, the students of the sixth cohort of the continuing education Master’s program in Match Analysis have begun their studies. Starting on Friday, the first in-person days took place on the campus of the German Sport University Cologne – featuring intensive courses, exciting insights during the Matchplan Conference 2025, and a festive opening evening.
A total of 28 participants form the sixth cohort of the Master’s program in Match Analysis. Over the next four semesters, they will engage intensively with data-driven analysis techniques, modern methods of performance diagnostics, and practice-oriented concepts for match analysis across different sports. Many of the new students come from clubs, associations, or sports science institutions across Germany and traveled to Cologne specifically for the courses.
The opening program included introductory lectures by Program Director Univ.-Prof. Daniel Memmert on systematic match analysis, and by Manuel Bassek on performance diagnostics in match analysis. Philipp Klug, assistant coach of the DFB U23 women’s team, provided valuable insights into the intersection of science and coaching practice with his talk “Science meets practice.”
A particular highlight was the Matchplan Conference on Saturday, which offered students exclusive access to top-level speakers from the world of professional football. Among the speakers were Roger Schmidt (Global Football Advisor, J. League), Gerhard Struber (Head Coach, Bristol City), Frank Kramer (Sporting Director, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim), Otmar Schork (Managing Director, 1. FC Magdeburg), Nico Schäfer (former Managing Director, SV Wehen Wiesbaden), Martina Voss-Tecklenburg (Champions League Expert, ZDF / Supervisory Board, Fortuna Düsseldorf), Sebastian Schwab (Lecturer, German Sport University Cologne), Jens Schüler (Head Coach U19, FC St. Gallen), Marie-Louise Eta (U19 Coach, Union Berlin), Niklas Bräuer (Head Coach U16, VfL Wolfsburg), Jan Kirchhoff (Head Coach U19, Mainz 05), Martin Spohrer (Strength and Conditioning Coach, Eintracht Frankfurt), and Christoph Kaminski (Individual Coach, Leon Goretzka).
In addition to marking the official start of the new cohort, the event also celebrated the completion of the fifth cohort, whose graduates are now working in various roles in professional football, sports associations, or sports data analytics.
“The continuing education Master’s program in Match Analysis combines scientific excellence with practical relevance – all within a unique learning environment that brings together experts from academia, coaching practice, and association work,” summarizes Univ.-Prof. Daniel Memmert, Executive Director of the Institute of Exercise Training and Sport Informatics