Physical Development Differences between Professional Soccer Players from Different Competitive Levels
In soccer, physical development is crucial for developing optimal performance. This study aimed to assess and compare the physical development of elite and non-elite professional soccer players. Seventy-eight male professional football players divided into four competitive levels participated in thi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-07-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/14/7343 |
| _version_ | 1797440949682438144 |
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| author | Cíntia França Andreas Ihle Adilson Marques Hugo Sarmento Francisco Martins Ricardo Henriques Élvio Rúbio Gouveia |
| author_facet | Cíntia França Andreas Ihle Adilson Marques Hugo Sarmento Francisco Martins Ricardo Henriques Élvio Rúbio Gouveia |
| author_sort | Cíntia França |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In soccer, physical development is crucial for developing optimal performance. This study aimed to assess and compare the physical development of elite and non-elite professional soccer players. Seventy-eight male professional football players divided into four competitive levels participated in this study: the elite group (EG), the non-elite group A (NEG-A), the non-elite group B (NEG-B), and the under 23 group (U23). Body composition, static strength, lower-body explosive strength, flexibility, and balance were assessed. No significant statistical differences between elite and non-elite players were seen in body composition parameters. However, the EG performed better in static strength, lower-body explosive strength, flexibility, and balance, even after adjusting for the effects of chronological age. The analysis showed that the competitive level (group) explained 25% to 29% of the variance observed in the lower-body explosive strength tasks. Sports staff and coaches in different age categories or competitive levels should include specific lower-body explosive strength content during soccer training to promote players’ long-term development towards the elite level. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:16:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6807a2e0586849cab876ae15e20b3bc5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:16:48Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-6807a2e0586849cab876ae15e20b3bc52023-11-30T22:46:08ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172022-07-011214734310.3390/app12147343Physical Development Differences between Professional Soccer Players from Different Competitive LevelsCíntia França0Andreas Ihle1Adilson Marques2Hugo Sarmento3Francisco Martins4Ricardo Henriques5Élvio Rúbio Gouveia6Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Madeira, 9020-105 Funchal, PortugalDepartment of Psychology, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, SwitzerlandCIPER, Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Lisbon, 1499-002 Lisbon, PortugalUniversity of Coimbra, Research Unit for Sport and Physical Activity (CIDAF), Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, 3004-504 Coimbra, PortugalDepartment of Physical Education and Sport, University of Madeira, 9020-105 Funchal, PortugalMarítimo da Madeira—Futebol SAD, 9020-208 Funchal, PortugalDepartment of Physical Education and Sport, University of Madeira, 9020-105 Funchal, PortugalIn soccer, physical development is crucial for developing optimal performance. This study aimed to assess and compare the physical development of elite and non-elite professional soccer players. Seventy-eight male professional football players divided into four competitive levels participated in this study: the elite group (EG), the non-elite group A (NEG-A), the non-elite group B (NEG-B), and the under 23 group (U23). Body composition, static strength, lower-body explosive strength, flexibility, and balance were assessed. No significant statistical differences between elite and non-elite players were seen in body composition parameters. However, the EG performed better in static strength, lower-body explosive strength, flexibility, and balance, even after adjusting for the effects of chronological age. The analysis showed that the competitive level (group) explained 25% to 29% of the variance observed in the lower-body explosive strength tasks. Sports staff and coaches in different age categories or competitive levels should include specific lower-body explosive strength content during soccer training to promote players’ long-term development towards the elite level.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/14/7343strengthbalanceflexibilitybody compositionelite |
| spellingShingle | Cíntia França Andreas Ihle Adilson Marques Hugo Sarmento Francisco Martins Ricardo Henriques Élvio Rúbio Gouveia Physical Development Differences between Professional Soccer Players from Different Competitive Levels Applied Sciences strength balance flexibility body composition elite |
| title | Physical Development Differences between Professional Soccer Players from Different Competitive Levels |
| title_full | Physical Development Differences between Professional Soccer Players from Different Competitive Levels |
| title_fullStr | Physical Development Differences between Professional Soccer Players from Different Competitive Levels |
| title_full_unstemmed | Physical Development Differences between Professional Soccer Players from Different Competitive Levels |
| title_short | Physical Development Differences between Professional Soccer Players from Different Competitive Levels |
| title_sort | physical development differences between professional soccer players from different competitive levels |
| topic | strength balance flexibility body composition elite |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/14/7343 |
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