Special topics

This case describes a professional soccer player returning to match play (English CL) following a medial meniscectomy that occurred during the rehabilitation after Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) reconstruction.

Non-starters soccer players have a great role within the team, being indispensable to reduce fatigue, as

well as to maintain and increase the team’s performance during the match. This study analyzed the physical performance of the starters (STA) and non-starters players (NOP) during competitive soccer matches.

The aim of this study was to investigate the external load (EL) indicators differences in players of different playing positions (central backs CB, external strikers ES, fullbacks FB, midfielders MF, strikers ST, wide midfielder WM) between and within different sport-specific tasks and official matches.

This study aimed to evaluate the impact on physical demands induced by FIFA’s new rule implemented based on the number of substitutions caused by COVID-19.

The aims of this study were to (i) analyze the physical and physiological responses of four matches competition and (ii) to investigate the relationships among three different pitch dimensions of small-sided game (SSG) on the youth soccer players.

This study aimed to explore the relevance of the relative age effect (RAE), maturity status and anthropometry, and their influence on coaches’ assessment of players’ performance, analyzing both genders and different types of academies (elite vs. non-elite only male displayed).

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationships between objective fatigue variables (Squat Jump (SJ) and Countermovement Jump (CMJ)) measured on day-2 to the game and subjective fatigue (Rating Perceived Exertion (RPE) measured on day-3 to the game and Hooper Index (HI) measured on day-2).

The aim was to compare the biceps femoris long head (BFlh) architecture between football players with (twelve) and without (twenty) history of BFlh injury before and after a repeated sprint task. 

This prospective study aimed to examine in detail the effects of sports injuries on professional football players’ weekly external load performances.

The primary aims of this study were to examine the application of maturity status bio-banding within professional soccer academy programmes and understand the methods employed, the intended objectives, and the potential barriers to bio-banding.

The present study examined the effects of stressful constraints during soccer trainings on psychological skill development and internal load when compared with control (non-stressful) trainings.

This study examined the effects of a six-week preparatory training program on physical performance and physiological adaptations in junior soccer players. Additionally, we investigated whether a relationship existed between external and internal loads.

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of small-sided soccer games (SSSGs) and traditional warm-up (TWU) routines on physical fitness qualities in soccer players.

The present study aimed to contextualise physical metrics with tactical actions according to general and specialised tactical roles.

Temporal changes in the total running demands of professional football competition have been well documented, with absolute running demands decreasing in the second half. However, it is unclear whether the peak match running demands demonstrate a similar decline.

The aim was to compare the effects of playing one or two games per week on subjective perceived exertion (RPE) and (RPE-based) training load, monotony index, sleep, stress, fatigue, and muscle soreness (Hooper index), total mood disturbance, and injury rate in elite soccer players.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of contextual match factors (quality of opposition, match outcome, change of head coach or playing style) on internal and external load in elite Brazilian professional soccer players, considering the total and effective playing time.

The objective of the present study was to assess the workload of soccer-specific drills in professional players over a two-season period in an established context.

The objective of the present study was to assess the workload of soccer-specific drills in professional players over a two-season period in an established context.

The aim of this study was to quantify and tactically contextualise (i.e., phase of play and tactical outcome [TO]) sprints (≥7.0 m/s) of an English Premier League (EPL) soccer team during match-play.

The study investigated the relationship between short sprint performance and mechanical parameters obtained during the acceleration and deceleration tasks with the change of direction (COD) performance in female and male soccer players.

The International Match Calendar congestion affects players recovery. The views of a worldwide cohort of professional football players is shared in this communication.

This study tested the effects of two training programs (1v1 vs. 5v5) on the physical fitness adaptations of youth soccer players. In specific, it was analyzed the effects of the training programs on the 5–0–5 change-of-direction time (5–0–5 time), countermovement jump (CMJ), and final velocity in the 30–15 Intermittent Fitness test (VIFT).

The aim of this paper was to explore the effects of age and playing tactics on the individual tactical behavior and performance in young soccer players.

The purpose of this study was (i) to compare two groups (players with more vs. less match play time) regarding body composition, vertical and horizontal jumping performance, and aerobic capacity; and (ii) to test the relationships between physical fitness and play time.

The present study aimed to determine the physical impact of different training durations on MD-1 on the subsequent matchday performance (MD).

The purpose of this study was to examine differences in the genotype frequency distribution of thirty-three single nucleotide variants (SNVs) between youth development phase (YDP) and professional development phase (PDP) academy football players.

The aim of this study was to analyse the differences in the A–S profile of elite football players induced

by playing position and the microcycle day.

The purposes of this study were: (i) to analyze the correlation between accumulated workload (AW)—based on season periods—with maturity, linear sprints, maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max), maximum heart rate, and body composition; and (ii) to compare the playing positions based on the mentioned parameters.

Athletic performance data are modeled in an effort to better understand the relationship between both hours spent training and a measurement of “commitment” to that training, and improvements in performance. Both increased training time and greater commitment were predicted to produce larger increases in performance improvement, and commitment was predicted to be the more important determinant of improvement.

Existing research using tracking data has mostly focused on what occurred on the pitch, such as the determinants of effective passing. There have yet to be studies attempting to use findings from data science to improve performance.

This study aimed to examine match running performance across 15-min match periods for players on different playing positions.

The aims of this study was to determine the biochemical and physical performance responses to a soccer match after a 72-h recovery period.

The aim was 1) to compare two different cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) based methods to assess maximal aerobic speed (MAS) and 2) to investigate the convergent validity of two common field tests to estimate MAS in footballers.

This study has the twofold purpose of analyzing RAE in Spanish youth national soccer teams and examining the prediction value of being selected for national youth teams to be a professional.

The current study aimed to quantify the between-match variability in peak match running intensities across discrete moving average durations (1–10 min).

The aims of this study were to compare the training and match load of professional soccer players according to the playing position, and analyse the relationship between the metabolic and running speed metrics.

This study aimed to compare the relative and peak demands of conditioning-focused various sided training games (VSG) to competition matches in elite youth male soccer players according to playing position.

The aim of this study was to investigate the association of internal load markers and recovery status with risk of illnesses and non-contact injuries in young soccer players characterised by different maturity status.

This study aimed to investigate internal and external load in three different game formats (8v8, 5v5, 3v3 with 80 m2 per player) of small-sided games (SSG) in Chinese elite youth football players.

The aim of the study was to assess the impact of vitamin D supplementation and regular physical activity on 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], parathyroid hormone (PTH) and bone turnover marker concentration in footballer.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of mental fatigue (MF) on the psychophysiological responses, kinematic profiles, and technical performance of young soccer players in small-sided games (SSGs).

The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of playing 1 vs 3 matches in a one‑week period on physical performance in young soccer players.

In this review we examined variations and evolutionary trends in endurance-related parameters of professional players.

The physiological demands of soccer challenge the entire spectrum of the response capacity of the biological systems and fitness requirements of the players. In this review we examined variations and evolutionary trends in neuromuscular parameters of professional players.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of tactical behavior on physical performance of the three best Spanish soccer teams.

This study aimed to investigate the external and internal training loads (ITLs; session-RPE method) of 18 elite U20 soccer players undertaking a tactical-conditioning training program with special reference to small-sided games (SSGs). 

This study aimed to examine the Spanish professional soccer players’ high metabolic load distance profile, comparing competitive level and playing positions.

The aim of this study was to identify the external training load (ETL) variables that are most influential on the session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE) during elite soccer training.

The study aims to investigate the effects of circuit training with a core exercise program on physical performance in competitive amateur soccer players.

As previous literature updates, I have performed a PubCrawler search looking for football articles in NCBI Medline (PubMed) and GenBank databases. 

Following studies were retrieved for this week:

The aim of this study was to compare the weekly training load on a standard microcycle in starters (START) and non-starters (NoSTART) of a sub-elite youth football academy.

This study evaluated the effects of an a short time warm-up consisting of a small number of intermittent high-intensity sprints on explosive muscle strength performance in soccer players and to identify recovery times after performing the sprints. Reliability of a smartphone app for jumping performance was established.

This study aimed to compare the physiological demand between three vs. three small-sided games (SSGs) with (3vs.3WITH) and without (3vs.3WITHOUT) the offside rule, as well as the within and between-session reliability.

This study aimed to quantify the external match loads (EMLs) of a Portuguese U23 soccer team, competing at the highest national level for the age group, comparing players with different starting status throughout a competitive season and specific blocks.

The genetic profile that is needed to identify talents has been studied extensively in recent years. The objective of this investigation was to approach, the study of genetic variants in several polygenic profiles and their role in elite endurance and professional football by comparing the allelic and genotypic frequencies to the non-athlete.

This study aimed to compare the significant turning demands of English Premier League soccer match play relative to playing position using LiDAR technology.

The aim was to determine the area per player (ApP) in small- (SSG) or large-sided games (LSG) to replicate the official match demands in elite youth soccer players.

This study aimed to investigate the acute effects of hype energy drink (HED) to ameliorate liver and muscle damage enzymes and cardiovascular indices-induced by a soccer match.

The FIFA 2022 World Cup is about to kick off and it feels interesting to have a closer look on the estimated transfer value running around on the pitch.

The aims of this study were to compare the load of three tasks designed to train features of soccer: a transition game (TG), a small sided game (SSG) with a change of playing area, and a large-sided game (LSG).

The purpose was to 1) examine the periods in which maximal intensity sprints occurred and 2) analyze the maximal intensity sprints registered in match play considering the effect of playing position and other contextual variables.

The purpose was to examine the relationship between sprinting and eccentric hamstring strength by monitoring total weekly sprint distance and weekly efforts > 90% and >95% of maximum velocity (VMax).

This study aimed to explore which offensive variables best discriminate the ball possession duration according to players specific role (defenders, midfielders, attackers) during a 3vs3+Gk football small-sided games (SSG).

This cohort study describes the relationship between workload parameters and the occurrence of non-contact injuries, during weeks with high and low workload in professional soccer players throughout the season.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the between-session and within-player variability of heart rates and locomotor responses of young male soccer players in 3v3 and 5v5 small-sided game formats.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of tactical behavior on physical performance of the three best Spanish soccer teams.

The aim of this study was to quantify the training load in two microcycles (Ms) from pre- and another two from in-season and to analyze playing position influences on the load experienced by professional soccer players.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a soccer small-sided game (SSG) on performance, inflammatory, muscle damage and hormonal indicators.

The purpose of the study was: (i) to analyze the relationships of physiological and locomotor demands between small-sided games (3v3 and 5v5) and official matches (11v11); (ii) to analyze the relationships between small-sided games demands and the physical fitness of youth soccer players.

Trunk stability is key in controlling body balance and movements. Trunk Stabilization Exercises (TSE) and Conventional Trunk Exercises (CTE) are performed to improve dynamic balance. The aim was to compare the immediate effect of TSE with that of CTE on dynamic balance in trained soccer players.

The aim of this study was two-fold: (i) analyze the within-group physical fitness adaptations promoted by a detraining period (4 weeks) followed by an intervention period (4 weeks) using small-sided games (SSGs) or running-based high intensity interval training (HIIT); and (ii) analyze the between-group differences aiming to identify the effectiveness of each training intervention on the physical fitness of youth male soccer players.

This study aimed to examine the effects of in-game changes in tactical formation on match performance and to analyze coach-specific differences.

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of small-sided games (SSGs) and running-based high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on the body composition and physical fitness of youth female soccer players.

The aim of this study was (i) provide reference data of metabolic power-based measures during professional football matches; and to (ii) analyze the between-position and between-halves differences of power-based measures during professional football matches.

The purposes of this study were (a) to determine the variations in internal and external measures of training monotony (TM) and strain (TS) in professional soccer players according to periods of the season and playing positions, and (b) to analyze the relationships between internal and external measures of TM and TS.

To profile the etiology and recovery time-course of neuromuscular function in response to a mixed-content, standard training week in professional academy soccer players. We concurrently examined physical performance, cognitive function, and perceptual measures of mood and wellness states to identify a range of simple tests applied practitioners could use in the field as surrogate measures of neuromuscular function.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether individualized low-intensity exercise (ILIE) within the recovery domain before lactate threshold 1 (LT1) improves energetic recovery and general endurance capacity in professional soccer players.

We examined the effect of physiological workload on gaze behaviour during defensive performance in 2 vs. 1 + goalkeeper game situations in football.

This study aimed to compare U18 association football players’ performance when manipulating the number of teammates and opponents during football game-based practices.

The aim of this research was to examine the physical match performance and match outcome before and after coach turnover in professional soccer teams compared with a control group containing coaches working continuously for 3 consecutive seasons.

The aim of the study was to examine the impact of the positional role and the individuality on the technical match performance in professional soccer players.

This study’s aims were to describe, week(w)-by-week, workload and time motion analysis between starter and non-starter professional soccer players based on different periods (i.e., pre-, early-, mid-, and end-season) of a full-season (Persian Gulf Pro League, 2019–2020).

This study explored the effect of perception-cognitive tasks interventions on male soccer players’ landing mechanisms at different levels of fatigue.

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of changes in resistance loads using different assessment modalities on the magnitude and the direction of inter-limb asymmetry within the same leg.

The aims of this study were to analyze the differences of physical demands of non-starter players regarding the playing time during the competition and to evaluate the physical demands of the compensatory training (MD + 1C) for substitute players in elite football.

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between minutes played (MP) with maturity status, fitness, and hormonal levels, and to quantify their influence on minutes played.

Athlete participation in youth international competitions is often regarded as crucial to the attainment of future success. However, the link between participation and performance in sports at youth levels and senior levels is unclear at best.

The aims of this study were to (1) determine the match technical and running performance required by different teams based on their final ranking position in a professional soccer league; (2) analyze the correlation between teams’ success at the end of the season and variables related to match technical and running performance.

The current study analyze the relationships between the recovery kinetics experienced by professional football players and non-contact injury.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the dose-response relationships between load measures and changes in aerobic fitness and intermittent running capacity among a large cohort of professional soccer players.

This study aimed to examine physiological, mechanical and perceptual loading in small-sided games (SSG) using unbalanced player numbers.

The objectives of the current study are to investigate differences in the collective behaviour of youth soccer teams by expertise level.

The aim was to assess the true physiological kinetics (VO2 and heart-rate responses) during the YYIR1 and to evaluate the correlations between the physiological kinetics, sprint kinetics, and YYIR1 performance parameters.

The aim of this study was to test the changes of blood markers and physical fitness outcomes at the beginning and following the PS phase. Additionally, associations of training adaptations between blood markers and the physical fitness measures were analyzed.

The aims of this study were 1) to analyze the influence of chronological age, relative age, and biological maturation on accumulated training load and perceived exertion in young sub-elite football players and 2) to understand the interaction effects amongst age grouping, maturation status, and birth quartiles on accumulated training load and perceived exertion in this target population.

The current study investigated gaze behavior of young soccer players during the execution of a soccer passing task.

Adolescence is a period of increased injury risk in youth footballers; however, no studies have considered the influence of growth-related factors and exposure time upon injury risk.

Research regarding talent indicators that predict selection into professional academies is increasingly multi-disciplinary, though is typically cross-sectional, failing to consider whether the rate of change of those indicators influences selection. The aim of this study was to determine if longitudinal changes in talent indicators are associated with selection into a professional football academy.

The aim of this investigation was to examine the impact of the weekly training load and the match running patterns prior to a muscle injury as potential risk factors of muscle injury in professional football players.