High-intensity Actions in Elite Soccer: Current Status and Future
                    Perspectives

Alberto Filter; Jesús Olivares-Jabalera; Thomas Dos'Santos; Marc Madruga; JoséMaríaOliva Lozano; Alejandro Molina; Alfredo Santalla; Bernardo Requena; Irineu Loturco

doi:10.1055/a-2013-1661

International Journal of Sports Medicine, Table of Contents

Int J Sports Med 2023; 44(08): 535-544
DOI: 10.1055/a-2013-1661

Review

High-intensity Actions in Elite Soccer: Current Status and Future Perspectives

Alberto Filter

¹FSI Lab, Football Science Institute, Granada, Spain

²Research Group Physical Activity, Health and Sport CTS-948, Pablo de Olavide University, Sevilla, Spain

,

Jesús Olivares-Jabalera

¹FSI Lab, Football Science Institute, Granada, Spain

³Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), Department of Physical and Sports Education, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain

,

Thomas Dos'Santos

⁴Department of Sport and Exercise, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

⁵Manchester Institute of Sport, Manchester, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

,

Marc Madruga

⁶Physical Therapy Department, International University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain

⁷Sport Performance Area, Barcelona Football Club, Barcelona, Spain

⁸Return to Play and Sports Training Center, reQ, Barcelona, Spain

,

JoséMaríaOliva Lozano

⁹Health Research Centre, Universidad de Almeria, Almeria, Spain

,

Alejandro Molina

¹⁰Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), University of Granada, Granada, Spain

¹¹Campus Universitario, University of San Jorge Faculty of Health Sciences, Villanueva de Gallego, Spain

,

Alfredo Santalla

¹FSI Lab, Football Science Institute, Granada, Spain

²Research Group Physical Activity, Health and Sport CTS-948, Pablo de Olavide University, Sevilla, Spain

,

Bernardo Requena

¹FSI Lab, Football Science Institute, Granada, Spain

,

Irineu Loturco

¹²Sport Science, NAR – Nucleus of High Performance in Sport, São Paulo, Brazil

¹³Department of Human Movement Sciences, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil

¹⁴Sport and Exercise Science, University of South Wales, Pontypridd, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Over the years, soccer has become more physically demanding; the number and frequency of high-intensity actions have increased, and these activities are decisive in determining the match outcome. Importantly, the reductionist approach commonly used to analyze high-intensity actions does not contemplate a more contextualized perspective on soccer performance. Traditionally, most investigations have only provided quantitative data regarding sprints (i. e. time, distances, frequency) without examining “how” (e. g. type of trajectory or starting position) and “why” (e. g. tactical role) soccer players sprint. In fact, other high-intensity actions, apart from running, are not even mentioned (i. e. curve sprints, change of direction, and specific-jump tasks). This has led to the use of tests and interventions that do not accurately reflect real game actions. Given the true technical-tactical-physical demands of each playing position, this narrative review collected a wide-spectrum of current soccer-related articles and provided a discussion regarding high-intensity actions, with a positional-based approach. In this narrative review, practitioners are encouraged to contemplate and consider the different elements that characterize high-intensity actions in soccer, in order to assess and train soccer players under a more sport-specific and integrative perspective.

Key words

physical performance - football - team sports - physical testing - athletic performance

Full Text

References

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