Luis Campos, Paris Saint-Germain’s football advisor since 2022, spoke to RTP during a feature on his career. He took the opportunity to share details about his methods for tracking, scouting, and selecting players—a process that sometimes requires him to go undercover. His comments were reported by Foot Mercato.
Campos: “It’s so the players I’m scouting don’t know I’m there.”
“They call me the ‘lone wolf’ because I have to keep a lot of information—and my ideas—under wraps. Sometimes, I have to go completely unnoticed by wearing a disguise so I can pick the right players and the right coaches. These days, I have a globally recognized face. Often, when I go to watch matches, I have to disguise myself—wearing dark clothes or beanies. I’ve even worn a fake mustache.
It’s not about being recognized or journalists knowing I’m there; it’s about ensuring the players I’m scouting don’t know I’m there. I never speak to those players or their agents. When I go to matches incognito, I often buy my own ticket (normally, clubs invite scouts when they know they are coming) and sit somewhere other than the VIP box. My goal is to see what the player is really like in a genuine match situation.”
Naturally, it is very difficult for Campos to move around football stadiums without being recognized—a common challenge at the highest level of the sport. He therefore has to get creative with his scouting, as his observations are only truly accurate if the players are unaware of his presence. A player’s behavior might change if they know their career could hinge on a single match—perhaps becoming more nervous or exerting themselves in ways they wouldn’t normally. That could have negative long-term consequences for both the club and the player. You have to be genuine to figure out what’s possible for the future.
After all, we know that a football advisor doesn’t rely solely on on-pitch performance when recruiting a player. Day-to-day mindset and how a player fits into the squad dynamic are essential factors. Campos has also spoken about his unique, specialized tests.
Campos: “Having meals with him for a week or going shopping”
“Having meals with him for a week or going shopping—things I’ve done before—helps me determine his psychological profile and see if he’s likely to disrupt the dressing room. Take the shopping example: there was a player everyone told me would never make it big because he couldn’t handle money—he had an unhealthy relationship with it. (…)
Then, when I meet a player at a restaurant, I outline the club’s collective project and our vision for the club. After that, I explain how we see him fitting into that project. Naturally, at such a crucial moment, the player needs to be very attentive.” “And sometimes, I’ll be talking to a player, and after five or six minutes, I see him bury his head in his arms; it gives me the impression of someone who lacks focus—someone missing certain qualities essential to modern football.”
The Portuguese executive leaves nothing to chance; he wants to spend time with a player before adding him to the squad. While on-field qualities are crucial, the player must also fit perfectly into his famous “puzzle” without introducing tension within the group—a particularly sensitive issue at PSG, given the immense pressure and competition. This may also partly explain why transfer deals take time to materialize. The goal is not to disrupt the balance of the two-time European champions, but rather to ensure any new arrival truly strengthens the squad.
Campos: “I love cross-referencing information.”
Campos also explained that he does not tell his “super scouts” when they are attending the same match, as he wants to gather the most reliable information possible.
“Yes, sometimes two of them might be at the same match without realizing the other is there scouting the same game. I love cross-referencing information. I don’t let them share notes, so they don’t ‘contaminate’ each other’s views. I want their assessments to be as realistic and unbiased as possible. I call them ‘super scouts.’ I scout them, too, when I select them; they are special people.”
Campos wants to avoid reports skewed by a mix of subjective impressions or other outside influences. He needs a clear, objective opinion to form a proper assessment before moving to the next stages. It is easy to see why: Campos possesses a vast network and employs sophisticated methods to find the best possible fit for each club. It is an art form—one that deserves trust, given Campos’s impressive career.
