A mathematical model using AHP priorities for soccer player selection: a case study

Abstract

The process of player selection in multi-player sports like soccer is a complex multi-criteria problem. In this paper, a two-phase approach is proposed for soccer player selection. In the first phase, the attributes of each player – based on their position within a soccer team – is prioritised using the Analytic Hierarchic Process (AHP). In the second phase, a 0-1 integer linear programming model is developed using the weights of player attributes, and the top performers are determined for inclusion in the team. Finally, a case study on the Turkish soccer club called Fenerbahçe is used to illustrate the applicability and performance of the proposed approach.

Keywords

• AHP
• soccer
• player selection
• 0-1 integer programming