Bild publisher Axel Springer is finding success with embedded augmented reality following an agreement with the German Football League (DFL).

Readers of the soccer tabloid Fussball Bild and BZ, as well as weekly newspapers, can watch 30-second videos from Bundesliga matches via an AR link on selected photographs.

The specifically-marked images come to life when readers hover over them with their smartphone, and is a further benefit for Bild subscribers who can access the videos through its apps.

Bild also gets access to the DFL's archive of 140,000 hours of video over five decades under the deal, which is in addition to that Bild has for Bundesliga clips with streaming service DAZN.

Sports editor-in-chief Matthias Brügelmann says the new highlights package will bring print sports coverage to life.

"This means that when our readers buy the newspaper, they can now for the first time ever in Europe enjoy direct and exclusive access to highly attractive video content.

"Augmented reality is already showing us what the newspaper of the future could look like."