Real Madrid is preparing to adopt one of the NFL’s most advanced technologies. Niko Mihic, the club’s medical advisor, revealed during the Sports Medicine Global Summit at the Bernabéu that he is working to bring the “Digital Athlete” system used in the United States to Madrid. The technology, powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS), creates a virtual model of every athlete using data from sensors, cameras, and historical performance records.

Mihic explained that the NFL evaluates each player during a seven-day run analysis at the start of the season, allowing teams to detect early signs of fatigue or weakening. AWS describes Digital Athlete as a tool capable of analyzing physical condition, predicting how a player might react to different workloads, and simulating millions of game scenarios to identify injury risks.

NFL teams access daily reports that include training load, individual injury probabilities, and league-wide benchmarks. This information helps coaches personalize training plans, build safer recovery programs, and prevent injuries more effectively. The system has even influenced rule changes. For example, the league simulated the equivalent of 10,000 seasons under the new kickoff structure before approving it, ensuring both greater safety and more exciting play.

Beyond Digital Athlete, AWS provides the NFL with Next Gen Stats, which powers real-time analytics such as player speed, pass probabilities, and win percentages during broadcasts. Each stadium uses around 250 tracking devices, RFID chips inside players’ pads, sensors in the ball, and high-resolution cameras that capture positional data ten times per second. More than 200 data points are generated in every single play and processed on AWS to produce advanced metrics.

The NFL also applies AWS tools to understand fan behavior through its Fan Data Platform. This system centralizes information from ticketing, apps, social media, digital content, broadcasts, and merchandise to create personalized experiences and strengthen fan engagement.

As Mihic works to secure approval, Real Madrid is preparing to integrate a technological model that has transformed American football and could redefine player monitoring, injury prevention, and performance analysis at the club.

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