Positional differences in match running performance of professional national-level women soccer players

Physical performance in women’s soccer

Authors

  • Toni Modric Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split
  • Manca Kutnjak
  • Dusko Bjelica

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21134/eurjhm.2023.51.2

Keywords:

football, women's competition, playing positions, physical performance, multivariate differences

Abstract

This study aimed to identify positional differences in the running performance (RP) of professional women soccer players. Seventy match performances were observed during the official matches (n = 13) over the course of half of a season at the highest level of national soccer competition in Slovenia. Players’ RP were obtained using global positioning system technology and were classified into five playing positions: central defender (CD; n = 11), fullback (FB; n = 15), central midfielder (CM; n = 9), winger (WM; n = 25) and forward (FW; n = 10). RP variables included total distance, high-intensity running, high-metabolic load distance, high-intensity accelerations and decelerations, and maximal running speed. Univariate and multivariate differences in RP among playing positions were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance and discriminate canonical analysis, respectively. Significant univariate differences were found for all RP variables (f = 3.77 – 8.68, µ = 0.19 – 0.33). Specifically, WMs, FBs, and CMs covered more total distance than CDs or FWs. High-intensity running, high metabolic load distance, high-intensity accelerations, and decelerations were greater for FBs or WMs compared to the players in all other playing positions. Analysis of multivariate differences showed significant differentiation between FBs and CMs, CDs, and FWs in high-intensity running distance, high-metabolic load distance, and high-intensity decelerations (CanR= 0.4 – 0.77, all p < 0.01), respectively, with higher occurrence in FBs. These findings demonstrated the differing physical demands placed on national-level women's soccer players in different playing positions, offering valuable insights for their preparation.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Andrzejewski, M., Chmura, P., Konefał, M., Kowalczuk, E., & Chmura, J. (2017). Match outcome and sprinting activities in match play by elite German soccer players. The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness, 58(6), 785-792.

Aquino, R., Vieira, L. H. P., Carling, C., Martins, G. H., Alves, I. S., & Puggina, E. F. (2017). Effects of competitive standard, team formation and playing position on match running performance of Brazilian professional soccer players. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 17(5), 695-705.

Barrett, S., McLaren, S., Spears, I., Ward, P., & Weston, M. (2018). The influence of playing position and contextual factors on soccer players’ match differential ratings of perceived exertion: a preliminary investigation. Sports, 6(1), 13.

Beato, M., Coratella, G., Stiff, A., & Iacono, A. D. (2018). The Validity and Between-Unit Variability of GNSS Units (STATSports Apex 10 and 18 Hz) for Measuring Distance and Peak Speed in Team Sports. Front Physiol, 9, 1288. doi:10.3389/fphys.2018.01288

Beissel, A. S., Postlethwaite, V., Grainger, A., & Brice, J. (2023). A new hope? FIFA 2.0, FIFA Women’s Football Strategy, and event bidding for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World CupTM. Soccer & Society, 1-28.

Bradley, P. S., Dellal, A., Mohr, M., Castellano, J., & Wilkie, A. (2014). Gender differences in match performance characteristics of soccer players competing in the UEFA Champions League. Human movement science, 33, 159-171.

Bradley, P. S., Sheldon, W., Wooster, B., Olsen, P., Boanas, P., & Krustrup, P. (2009). High-intensity running in English FA Premier League soccer matches. Journal of sports sciences, 27(2), 159-168.

Chmura, P., Konefał, M., Chmura, J., Kowalczuk, E., Zając, T., Rokita, A., & Andrzejewski, M. (2018). Match outcome and running performance in different intensity ranges among elite soccer players. Biology of sport, 35(2), 197.

Choice, E., Tufano, J., Jagger, K., Hooker, K., & Cochrane-Snyman, K. C. (2022). Differences across Playing Levels for Match-Play Physical Demands in Women's Professional and Collegiate Soccer: A Narrative Review. Sports (Basel), 10(10). doi:10.3390/sports10100141

Cohen, J. (2013). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences: Academic press.

Di Salvo, V., Baron, R., Tschan, H., Montero, F. C., Bachl, N., & Pigozzi, F. (2006). Performance characteristics according to playing position in elite soccer. International journal of sports medicine, 222-227.

Di Salvo, V., Gregson, W., Atkinson, G., Tordoff, P., & Drust, B. (2009). Analysis of high intensity activity in Premier League soccer. International journal of sports medicine, 30(03), 205-212.

Gonçalves, L., Clemente, F. M., Barrera, J. I., Sarmento, H., González-Fernández, F. T., Palucci Vieira, L. H., . . . Carral, J. M. C. (2021). Relationships between Fitness Status and Match Running Performance in Adult Women Soccer Players: A Cohort Study. Medicina (Kaunas), 57(6). doi:10.3390/medicina57060617

Griffin, J., Horan, S., Keogh, J., Dodd, K., Andreatta, M., & Minahan, C. (2021). Contextual factors influencing the characteristics of female football players. J. Sports Med. Phys. Fit, 61, 218-232.

Harkness-Armstrong, A., Till, K., Datson, N., Myhill, N., & Emmonds, S. (2022). A systematic review of match-play characteristics in women's soccer. PloS one, 17(6), e0268334. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0268334

Hewitt, A., Norton, K., & Lyons, K. (2014). Movement profiles of elite women soccer players during international matches and the effect of opposition’s team ranking. Journal of sports sciences, 32(20), 1874-1880. doi:10.1080/02640414.2014.898854

Kirkendall, D. T. (2020). Evolution of soccer as a research topic. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, 63(6), 723-729.

Lago-Peñas, C. (2012). The role of situational variables in analysing physical performance in soccer. Journal of Human Kinetics, 35(1), 89-95.

Mäkiniemi, J. K., Savolainen, E. H., Finni, T., & Ihalainen, J. K. (2023). Position specific physical demands in different phases of competitive matches in national level women's football. Biol Sport, 40(3), 629-637. doi:10.5114/biolsport.2023.118337

Mallo, J., Mena, E., Nevado, F., & Paredes, V. (2015). Physical demands of top-class soccer friendly matches in relation to a playing position using global positioning system technology. Journal of Human Kinetics, 47(1), 179-188.

Martínez-Lagunas, V., Niessen, M., & Hartmann, U. (2014). Women's football: Player characteristics and demands of the game. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 3(4), 258-272.

Memmert, D., Raabe, D., Schwab, S., & Rein, R. (2019). A tactical comparison of the 4-2-3-1 and 3-5-2 formation in soccer: A theory-oriented, experimental approach based on positional data in an 11 vs. 11 game set-up. PloS one, 14(1), e0210191.

Modric, T., Esco, M., Perkovic, S., Basic, Z., Versic, S., Morgans, R., & Sekulic, D. (2023). Artificial Turf Increases the Physical Demand of Soccer by Heightening Match Running Performance Compared with Natural Grass. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 37(11), 2222-2228. doi:10.1519/jsc.0000000000004539

Modric, T., Versic, S., & Sekulic, D. (2020). Playing position specifics of associations between running performance during the training and match in male soccer players. Acta Gymnica, 50(2), 51-60.

Modric, T., Versic, S., & Sekulic, D. (2021). Does aerobic performance define match running performance among professional soccer players? A position-specific analysis. Res Sports Med, 29(4), 336-348. doi:10.1080/15438627.2021.1888107

Modric, T., Versic, S., Sekulic, D., & Liposek, S. (2019). Analysis of the Association between Running Performance and Game Performance Indicators in Professional Soccer Players. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(20), 4032.

Modric, T., Versic, S., Winter, C., Coll, I., Chmura, P., Andrzejewski, M., . . . Sekulic, D. (2022). The effect of team formation on match running performance in UEFA Champions League matches: implications for position-specific conditioning. Science and Medicine in Football, 1-8. doi:10.1080/24733938.2022.2123952

Mohr, M., Krustrup, P., & Bangsbo, J. (2003). Match performance of high-standard soccer players with special reference to development of fatigue. Journal of sports sciences, 21(7), 519-528.

Moura, F. A., Martins, L. E. B., & Cunha, S. A. (2014). Analysis of football game-related statistics using multivariate techniques. Journal of sports sciences, 32(20), 1881-1887.

Nassis, G. P., Brito, J., Tomás, R., Heiner-Møller, K., Harder, P., Kryger, K. O., & Krustrup, P. (2022). Elite women's football: Evolution and challenges for the years ahead. Scand J Med Sci Sports, 32 Suppl 1, 7-11. doi:10.1111/sms.14094

Palucci Vieira, L. H., Carling, C., Barbieri, F. A., Aquino, R., & Santiago, P. R. P. (2019). Match running performance in young soccer players: A systematic review. Sports Medicine, 49, 289-318.

Panduro, J., Ermidis, G., Røddik, L., Vigh-Larsen, J. F., Madsen, E. E., Larsen, M. N., . . . Randers, M. B. (2022). Physical performance and loading for six playing positions in elite female football: full-game, end-game, and peak periods. Scand J Med Sci Sports, 32 Suppl 1, 115-126. doi:10.1111/sms.13877

Rago, V., Rebelo, A., Krustrup, P., & Mohr, M. (2021). Contextual Variables and Training Load Throughout a Competitive Period in a Top-Level Male Soccer Team. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 35(11), 3177-3183. doi:10.1519/jsc.0000000000003258

Rey, E., Costa, P. B., Corredoira, F. J., & Sal de Rellán Guerra, A. (9000). Effects of Age on Physical Match Performance in Professional Soccer Players. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. doi:10.1519/jsc.0000000000003244

Rico-González, M., Oliveira, R., Palucci Vieira, L. H., Pino-Ortega, J., & Clemente, F. M. (2022). Players' performance during worst-case scenarios in professional soccer matches: a systematic review. Biol Sport, 39(3), 695-713. doi:10.5114/biolsport.2022.107022

Sapp, R. M., Spangenburg, E. E., & Hagberg, J. M. (2018). Trends in aggressive play and refereeing among the top five European soccer leagues. Journal of sports sciences, 36(12), 1346-1354.

Sarmento, H., Barbosa, A., Anguera, M. T., Jorge, C., & José, L. (2013). Regular patterns of play in the counter-attack of the FC Barcelona and Manchester United football teams. In Performance analysis of sport IX (pp. 57-64): Routledge.

Sausaman, R. W., Sams, M. L., Mizuguchi, S., DeWeese, B. H., & Stone, M. H. (2019). The Physical Demands of NCAA Division I Women's College Soccer. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol, 4(4). doi:10.3390/jfmk4040073

Varley, M. C., & Aughey, R. J. (2013). Acceleration profiles in elite Australian soccer. Int J Sports Med, 34(1), 34-39. doi:10.1055/s-0032-1316315

Vescovi, J. D., Fernandes, E., & Klas, A. (2021). Physical Demands of Women's Soccer Matches: A Perspective Across the Developmental Spectrum. Front Sports Act Living, 3, 634696. doi:10.3389/fspor.2021.634696

Winther, A. K., Baptista, I., Pedersen, S., Randers, M. B., Johansen, D., Krustrup, P., & Pettersen, S. A. (2022). Position specific physical performance and running intensity fluctuations in elite women's football. Scand J Med Sci Sports, 32 Suppl 1, 105-114. doi:10.1111/sms.14105

Yi, Q., Jia, H., Liu, H., & Gómez, M. Á. (2018). Technical demands of different playing positions in the UEFA Champions League. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 18(6), 926-937.

Downloads

Published

2023-12-31

Issue

Section

Original Research