Prof. Dr Alan McCall is a globally recognised leader in sports performance, research, and innovation. With over 20 years of experience in elite sports spanning five continents, he has held senior roles including Head of Research & Development at Arsenal FC and Scientific Consultant to FC Barcelona, FIFA, the NBA, and the NFL. He specialises in translating research into practice to enhance performance, reduce injury risk, and drive innovation with commercial impact. Alan is also the founder of a sports research and innovation company that has worked with world-leading teams, federations, and governing bodies for over a decade.
He has authored more than 130 peer-reviewed articles and serves on editorial boards for Sports Medicine, Science and Medicine in Football, and the British Journal of Sports Medicine. He has led high-impact R&D platforms at club and federation levels, co-authored international muscle injury guidelines, and contributed to the design of high-performance facilities worldwide.
Alongside his applied work, Alan supervises PhD candidates and consults globally on decision-making, performance systems, and strategic innovation. His work bridges elite sport with academic rigour and industry relevance, helping teams build sustainable performance environments grounded in science.