Quantifying the High-Speed Running and Sprinting Profiles of Elite Female Soccer Players During Competitive Matches Using an Optical Player Tracking System

This study aimed to evaluate the effects playing position, match location (home or away), quality of opposition (strong or weak), effective playing time (total time minus stoppages), and score-line on physical match performance in professional soccer players using a large-scale analysis. A total of 10,739 individual match observations of outfield players competing in the Spanish La Liga during the 2018–2019 season were recorded using a computerized tracking system (TRACAB, Chyronhego, New York, USA). The players were classified into five positions (central defenders, players = 94; external defenders, players = 82; central midfielders, players = 101; external midfielders, players = 72; and forwards, players = 67) and the following match running performance categories were considered: total distance covered, low-speed running (LSR) distance (0–14 km · h−1), medium-speed running (MSR) distance (14–21 km · h−1), high-speed running (HSR) distance (>21 km · h−1), very HSR (VHSR) distance (21–24 km · h−1), sprint distance (>24 km · h−1) Overall, match running performance was highly dependent on situational variables, especially the score-line condition (winning, drawing, losing). Moreover, the score-line affected players running performance differently depending on their playing position. Losing status increased the total distance and the distance covered at MSR, HSR, VHSR and Sprint by defenders, while attacking players showed the opposite trend. These findings may help coaches and managers to better understand the effects of situational variables on physical performance in La Liga and could be used to develop a model for predicting the physical activity profile in competition.

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Evaluation of match-running distances covered by soccer players during the UEFA EURO 2016

South African Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.17159/2078-516x/2019/v31i1a6127 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

pp. 1-4

Author(s):

A Kubayi

Keyword(s):

High Speed ◽

Tracking System ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Limited Information ◽

Camera Tracking ◽

Multiple Camera ◽

Shortest Distance ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Successful Team ◽

European Football

Background: Despite a substantial body of literature on match-running distances covered by soccer players in domestic leagues, there appears to be limited information on the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Euro competitions. Objective: The aim of this study was to analyse the match-running distances covered by soccer players during the UEFA Euro 2016. Methods: A multiple-camera tracking system (InStat Ltd) was used to analyse 228 observations of soccer players who played 15 full matches during the tournament. The outfield players were categorised according to the following playing positions: central defenders (CDs), n=58; wide defenders (WDs), n=45; central midfielders (CMs), n=53, wide midfielders (WMs), n=38; and attackers (ATs), n=34. Data were reported as means with 95% confidence intervals (CI). A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was undertaken to examine the significant differences among players based on playing positions. Results: The results indicated that the overall total distance covered by players was 10 350 m, ranging from 8 446 m to 12 982 m. ATs covered the longest distance in high-speed running (872 m; 95% CI = 813–931), while CDs covered the shortest distance (542 m; 95% CI = 503–581). A statistically significant difference was observed in high-speed running among players (F (4 223) = 36.92, P=0.001). Conclusion: The findings of this study provide soccer scientists and coaches with important information to design and implement training sessions in order to elucidate the physical demands of players in view of successful team performance.

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Analysis of the Motor Activities of Professional Polish Soccer Players

Polish Journal of Sport and Tourism ◽

10.1515/pjst-2016-0026 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 23 (4) ◽

pp. 196-201

Author(s):

Marcin Andrzejewski ◽

Beata Pluta ◽

Marek Konefał ◽

Paweł Chmura ◽

Jan Chmura

Keyword(s):

Average Distance ◽

Tracking System ◽

Scientific Basis ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Match Play ◽

Premier League ◽

Intensity Range ◽

Player Tracking ◽

Motor Activities ◽

Elite Level

Abstract Introduction. The aims of the present study were to determine the activity profiles of a large sample of Polish Premier League soccer players during elite-standard soccer matches depending on their position on the pitch and the intensity range of physical activity. Material and methods. The study sample comprised 1,178 players in 5 outfield positions: external defenders (ED, n = 289), central defenders (CD, n = 307), central midfield players (CM, n = 327), external midfield players (EM, n = 152), and forwards (F, n = 103). Altogether, 81 Polish League games held during four domestic seasons (2010-2011, 2011-2012, 2012-2013, and 2013-2014) were used in the analysis. A semi-automatic computerised player tracking system (Amisco Pro®, version 1.0.2, Nice, France) was applied to create the match activity profiles of the teams. Results. The results of statistical analysis revealed that the average total distance covered by all the players (n = 1,178) was 11,313 ± 852 m. With respect to the players’ position on the pitch, the central midfielders travelled the longest average distance (11,894 ± 765 m) during the game. The longest distance was covered in the V1 intensity range (62%), followed by V2 (15%), V3 (10%), V4 (8%), V5 (3%), and V6 (2%). Conclusions. The objective of this study was to verify the differences among playing positions and to quantify the demands placed on elite Polish soccer players in each individual position during match play. While analysing elite-level match play in terms of the overall distance covered in different categories of intensity, we found a number of statistically significant differences between different playing positions. The data presented in this study can be regarded as norms for elite soccer players, serve for present and future comparison, and represent the scientific basis for developing position-specific conditioning/training protocols in soccer.

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Physical performance analysis of elite soccer players during the extra-time periods of the 2016 UEFA Euro Championship

South African Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.17159/4842 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

pp. 1-3

Author(s):

A Kubayi

Keyword(s):

Performance Analysis ◽

Physical Performance ◽

High Speed ◽

Tracking System ◽

Intervention Strategies ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Camera Tracking ◽

Extra Time ◽

Performance Profiles ◽

Time Periods

Background: Despite the importance of extra-time in determining success in the knockout stages of soccer tournaments, there remains scant information on the physical demands of extra time on elite players. Methods: This study investigated the physical performance profiles of all soccer players (N=59) who completed four matches that went to extra time at the 2016 UEFA Euro Championship. Players were categorised as follows: central defenders (CDs), wide defenders (WDs), central midfielders (CMs), wide midfielders (WMs), and attackers (ATs). Match activities were captured using a validated camera tracking system (InStat®). Results: The findings showed that total distances covered by players during matches consistently decreased by 13% from the first half of the game (112.79±10.17 m) to extra time (103.17±6.39 m). The reduction of the total distance covered, especially in high-intensity running (i.e., high-speed running and sprinting), was more apparent in ATs than players in other positions. Conclusion: Intervention strategies needed to sustain soccer players’ physical performance during extra-time periods and of post-match recovery modalities warrant further investigation.

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Match Running Performance on Three Different Competitive Standards in Norwegian Soccer

Sports Medicine International Open ◽

10.1055/a-0943-3682 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 03 (03) ◽

pp. E82-E88 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Atle Sæterbakken ◽

Vebjorn Haug ◽

Dan Fransson ◽

Halvard Nikolai Grendstad ◽

Hilde Stokvold Gundersen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Intensity ◽

High Speed ◽

Tracking System ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Running Speed ◽

Running Performance ◽

Professional Soccer ◽

Fully Automatic ◽

Level 1 ◽

Level 2

AbstractThe aim of the study was to compare running performance of three competitive standards and to examine the effects of being promoted to a higher league in Norwegian football. One clubʼs first and second team were included. The first team consisted of professional soccer players playing at Level 2 (2015 season) and Level 1 (2016 season). The second team consisted of amateurs playing at Level 4. A fully automatic tracking system was used to examine running performance, divided into different running-speed categories and playing position. Forty-one matches were included containing 278 observations. Level 1 performed 61 and 51% sprinting compared to Level 2 and Level 4 but similar high-speed running. Similar high-speed running distances were observed only for the different playing positions at Level 1 compared to Level 2 and 4. The sprinting distance was greater for the central defender and attacker, and the number of accelerations was greater for central midfielders and wide midfielders’ playing at Level 1 compared to lower competitive standards. In conclusion, better competitive standards resulted in greater high-intensity actions than lower leagues in Norwegian soccer. Furthermore, only central defenders and attackers increased their high-intensity locomotions when the team was promoted.

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Effect of Training Load on Post-Exercise Cardiac Troponin T Elevations in Young Soccer Players

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16234853 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (23) ◽

pp. 4853 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Rafel Cirer-Sastre ◽

Alejandro Legaz-Arrese ◽

Francisco Corbi ◽

Isaac López-Laval ◽

Jose Puente-Lanzarote ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Cardiac Troponin ◽

High Speed ◽

Troponin T ◽

Training Load ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Cardiac Troponin T ◽

Maximal Heart Rate ◽

Post Exercise ◽

Player Tracking

Training load (TL) metrics are usually assessed to estimate the individual, physiological and psychological, acute, and adaptive responses to training. Cardiac troponins (cTn) reflect myocardial damage and are routinely analyzed for the clinical diagnosis of myocardial injury. The association between TL and post-exercise cTn elevations is scarcely investigated in young athletes, especially after playing common team sports such as soccer. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between TL measurements during a small-sided soccer game and the subsequent increase in cTn in young players. Twenty male soccer players (age 11.9 ± 2 years, height 151 ± 13 cm, weight 43 ± 13 kg) were monitored during a 5 × 5 small-sided game and had blood samples drawn before, immediately after, and 3 h after exercise for a posterior analysis of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT). Internal, external, and mixed metrics of TL were obtained from the rating of perceived exertion (RPE), heart rate (HR), and GPS player tracking. The results show that the concentration of hs-cTnT peaked at 3 h post-exercise in all participants. The magnitude of hs-cTnT elevation was mainly explained by the exercise duration in the maximal heart rate zone (Maximum Probability of Effect (MPE) = 92.5%), time in the high-speed zone (MPE = 90.4 %), and distance in the high-speed zone (MPE = 90.45%). Our results support the idea that common metrics of TL in soccer, easily obtained using player tracking systems, are strongly associated with the release of hs-cTnT in children and adolescents.

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Physical performance analysis of elite soccer players during the extra-time periods of the 2016 UEFA Euro Championship

South African Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.17159/2078-516x/2018/v30i1a4842 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

pp. 1-3 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

A Kubayi ◽

A Toriola

Keyword(s):

Performance Analysis ◽

Physical Performance ◽

High Speed ◽

Tracking System ◽

Intervention Strategies ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Camera Tracking ◽

Extra Time ◽

Performance Profiles ◽

Time Periods

Background: Despite the importance of extra-time in determining success in the knockout stages of soccer tournaments, there remains scant information on the physical demands of extra time on elite players. Methods: This study investigated the physical performance profiles of all soccer players (N=59) who completed four matches that went to extra time at the 2016 UEFA Euro Championship. Players were categorised as follows: central defenders (CDs), wide defenders (WDs), central midfielders (CMs), wide midfielders (WMs), and attackers (ATs). Match activities were captured using a validated camera tracking system (InStat®). Results: The findings showed that total distances covered by players during matches consistently decreased by 13% from the first half of the game (112.79±10.17 m) to extra time (103.17±6.39 m). The reduction of the total distance covered, especially in high-intensity running (i.e., high-speed running and sprinting), was more apparent in ATs than players in other positions. Conclusion: Intervention strategies needed to sustain soccer players’ physical performance during extra-time periods and of post-match recovery modalities warrant further investigation.

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Study on Driver and Vehicle System With Lane-Tracking Control System Using Steering Torque Input

10.1115/imece2001/de-23263 ◽

2001 ◽

Author(s):

Masao Nagai ◽

Hidehisa Yoshida ◽

Kiyotaka Shitamitsu ◽

Hiroshi Mouri

Keyword(s):

Tracking Control ◽

High Speed ◽

Driving Simulator ◽

Tracking System ◽

Torque Control ◽

Steering Wheel ◽

Control Input ◽

Steering Angle ◽

Lane Tracking ◽

Steering Torque

Abstract Although the vast majority of lane-tracking control methods rely on the steering wheel angle as the control input, a few studies have treated methods using the steering torque as the input. When operating vehicles especially at high speed, drivers typically do not grip the steering wheel tightly to prevent the angle of the steering wheel from veering off course. This study proposes a new steering assist system for a driver not with the steering angle but the steering torque as the input and clarifies the characteristics and relative advantages of the two approaches. Then using a newly developed driving simulator, characteristics of human drivers and the lane-tracking system based on the steering torque control are investigated.

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High Speed Running and Sprinting Profiles of Elite Soccer Players

Journal of Human Kinetics ◽

10.1515/hukin-2017-0086 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 58 (1) ◽

pp. 169-176 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Javier Miñano-Espin ◽

Luis Casáis ◽

Carlos Lago-Peñas ◽

Miguel Ángel Gómez-Ruano

Keyword(s):

Physical Performance ◽

High Intensity ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

High Speed ◽

Tracking System ◽

Camera Tracking ◽

The Real ◽

Multiple Camera ◽

Repeated Measures Analysis

AbstractReal Madrid was named as the best club of the 20th century by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics. The aim of this study was to compare if players from Real Madrid covered shorter distances than players from the opposing team. One hundred and forty-nine matches including league, cup and UEFA Champions League matches played by the Real Madrid were monitored during the 2001-2002 to the 2006-2007 seasons. Data from both teams (Real Madrid and the opponent) were recorded. Altogether, 2082 physical performance profiles were examined, 1052 from the Real Madrid and 1031 from the opposing team (Central Defenders (CD) = 536, External Defenders (ED) = 491, Central Midfielders (CM) = 544, External Midfielders (EM) = 233, and Forwards (F) = 278). Match performance data were collected using a computerized multiple-camera tracking system (Amisco Pro®, Nice, France). A repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed for distances covered at different intensities (sprinting (>24.0 km/h) and high-speed running (21.1-24.0 km/h) and the number of sprints (21.1-24.0 km/h and >24.0 km/h) during games for each player sectioned under their positional roles. Players from Real Madrid covered shorter distances in high-speed running and sprint than players from the opposing team (p < 0.01). While ED did not show differences in their physical performance, CD (p < 0.05), CM (p < 0.01), EM (p < 0.01) and F (p > 0.01) from Real Madrid covered shorter distances in high-intensity running and sprint and performed less sprints than their counterparts. Finally, no differences were found in the high-intensity running and sprint distances performed by players from Real Madrid depending on the quality of the opposition.

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Player Tracking Data Analytics as a Tool for Physical Performance Management in Football: A Case Study from Chelsea Football Club Academy

Sports ◽

10.3390/sports6040130 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 130 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Varuna De Silva ◽

Mike Caine ◽

James Skinner ◽

Safak Dogan ◽

Ahmet Kondoz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

High Speed ◽

Activity Level ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Gradual Change ◽

Distribution Analysis ◽

Tracking Data ◽

Running Activity ◽

Player Tracking ◽

Movement Tracking

Background: Global positioning system (GPS) based player movement tracking data are widely used by professional football (soccer) clubs and academies to provide insight into activity demands during training and competitive matches. However, the use of movement tracking data to inform the design of training programmes is still an open research question. Objectives: The objective of this study is to analyse player tracking data to understand activity level differences between training and match sessions, with respect to different playing positions. Methods: This study analyses the per-session summary of historical movement data collected through GPS tracking to profile high-speed running activity as well as distance covered during training sessions as a whole and competitive matches. We utilise 20,913 data points collected from 53 football players aged between 18 and 23 at an elite football academy across four full seasons (2014–2018). Through ANOVA analysis and probability distribution analysis, we compare the activity demands, measured by the number of high-speed runs, the amount of high-speed distance, and distance covered by players in key playing positions, such as Central Midfielders, Full Backs, and Centre Forwards. Results and Implications: While there are significant positional differences in physical activity demands during competitive matches, the physical activity levels during training sessions do not show positional variations. In matches, the Centre Forwards face the highest demand for High Speed Runs (HSRs), compared to Central Midfielders and Full Backs. However, on average the Central Midfielders tend to cover more distance than Centre Forwards and Full Backs. An increase in high-speed work demand in matches and training over the past four seasons, also shown by a gradual change in the extreme values of high-speed running activity, was also found. This large-scale, longitudinal study makes an important contribution to the literature, providing novel insights from an elite performance environment about the relationship between player activity levels during training and match play, and how these vary by playing position.

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