Alisha Lehmann, 26, is grabbing headlines as the host nation’s most recognizable player during the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025. The Aston Villa and Switzerland forward is known as much for her following off the field as what she does in uniform, and her appearances have kept fans and media engaged throughout the tournament. But while Lehmann is front and center, something happening behind the scenes is reshaping how all the teams prepare and compete. It’s data.
Across Europe, football programs are undergoing a shift that you don’t see right away. Whether it’s budget, travel, and most importantly squad depth, national teams are turning to analytics to make their decisions smarter and faster. Data is influencing everything from how coaches can prevent injuries to how they manage workload. Data is also used to analyze other teams and which tactics are best to use in the game.
Alisha Lehmann last moment in Aston villa ???#alishlehmann #AstonVilla pic.twitter.com/8vLpQsXM1K
— Deborah Lehmann A (@baby_ofu) July 14, 2025
Some of the most upfront examples of this change are happening at the club level in men’s football. The football team Dunfermline Athletic, which plays in Scotland, used data modeling to isolate weaknesses in its midfield and that reportedly led to the signing of Victor Wanyama. In Spain, Córdoba CF officials said they leaned heavily on predictive analytics to pick out low cost players who have potential but who have been undervalued. The goal is to help the club stay competitive while managing tight finances.
This type of approach is of course finding its way into the women’s game, with teams like Belgium and Austria reportedly using detailed models of statistics to influence how they make their lineups, manage player rotations, or scout opponents. Belgium’s staff has publicly credited data analysis with helping them stay fresh through the earlier stage of the tournament. Austria team officials said they used data to find more effective backline combinations and help the defense play better together.
It’s still the case that traditional powers like Germany, France, and England have the larger talent pools and more resources, but teams looking to innovate are leveraging data to close the gap. Felix Römer, founder of the analytics platform ShortCircuitScience, said teams that cling to instinct alone risk falling behind. “Data-driven decisions allow for faster adaptation and smarter squad building,” he said.
As Euro 2025 enters the knockout stage, the spotlight will remain on stars like Lehmann. But whoever ends up winning may owe it to the data homework they did behind the scenes.
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