The Beautiful Game: Soccer

Ever wonder what makes somebody an elite level soccer player? What physical attributes do the top players possess? With the world cup of soccer under way, we thought it would be interesting to look at a few physiological factors that set these athletes apart. As well, we’ll dissect the game in order to give you an understanding of the demands placed on these athletes. Read more…

The Game

Soccer is played in two 45-minute halves. The average distance covered by outfield players during a 90-minute game is anywhere from 8-12 km. This distance in made up of over 1000 different activities, with a change in the type or level of activity occurring about once every 6 seconds. It would appear that between 8 and 12% of the total distance covered per game is at sprint speed and that the higher the quality of the team, the higher their absolute intensity and speed of game. Research has found that the main difference between players at different levels of competition is not the total distance covered in a game, but the overall distance at speed during the matches. Several studies have shown that the distance covered during a game varies according to positional roles with the greatest being covered by midfielders and the least by center-backs. On average, soccer players stand still 17.1% of the total playing time, walk 40.4%, run at low speed (8-12 km/h) 31.5%, run at high speed (15-18 km/h) 8.1%, and sprint at speeds of around 30 km/h for 0.7%. Generally, midfielders spend less time walking and standing and more time jogging, compared to defenders and forwards. Soccer involves many complex movements other than running, including jumps, slides, and a myriad of skills with the ball. From the time-motion analysis of soccer matches, it is easy to see why the performing athlete needs good aerobic capabilities, as well as well-trained anaerobic abilities in order to be successful. A player needs to be able to move continuously for 90 minutes, but must also be able to sustain repeated periods of high intensity activity, such as running and sprinting (not to mention all other forms of motion as well).

The Players

Here are some comparisons of a few teams at the World Cup in South Africa. These do not include goalkeepers who tend to be about 3 inches taller than the average outfield player.

Soccer players at the elite level have very highly developed aerobic energy systems. Most studies show that top level players have a VO2max (cardio-respiratory endurance) between 60-65 ml.kg-1.min-1. The average for males of similar age is 50 while the VO2max of an elite marathon runner is around 70. World class soccer players also have much higher vertical jump measures and faster sprinting speeds over short distances.

A typical soccer player will burn about 1500 kilocalorie, and can loose up to 3+ liters of fluid during the course of a 90-minute match. Dehydration is a concern for these athletes and with the potentially hot and humid South African weather hopefully they are drinking fluids and replenishing their bodies with a post-game recovery drink like chocolate milk.