Effects of match period and playing position on the individual and collective dynamics in professional soccer: a case study by Gibson Moreira Praça, André Gustavo Pereira de Andrade, Sarah da Glória Teles Bredt, Pedro Emilio Drumond Moreira, Gustavo De Conti Teixeira Costa, Henrique de Oliveira Castro, Rodrigo Aquino

“…The highest values of spatial exploration index were reported for central midfielders and wing forwards. We conclude that the tactical behavior of professional soccer players is position-dependent, and midfielders are the most exploratory players on the pitch.…”
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The isometric and isokinetic knee extension and flexion muscle strength profile of elite soccer players by Charly Keytsman, Jonas Verbrugghe, Bert O Eijnde

“…Quadriceps was significantly (p = 0.023) higher in strikers compared to central midfielders in both the dominant (+ 9%) and the non-dominant (+ 4%) leg. …”
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Capacidade cardiopulmonar de jogadores de diferentes posições da Seleção Brasileira Militar de futebol: perfil da equipe no início da temporada by André Helou, Danielli Mello, José Mauro Malheiros Maia Junior, Miriam Raquel Meira Mainenti

“…Results: VO2máx did not presented statistical difference among positions (p = 0.163): 55.89 ± 7.39 ml/kg/min (defenders); 52.55 ±6.21 ml/kg/min (lateral midfielders); 49.65 ± 6.22 ml/kg/min (central defenders); 53.81 ± 5.18 ml/kg/min (central midfielders) e 58.35 ± 4.85 ml/kg/min (forwards). …”
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Changes of physical match performance after the COVID-19 lockdown in professional soccer players according to their playing position by Łukasz Radzimiński, Miguel Lorenzo-Martinez, Marek Konefał, Paweł Chmura, Marcin Andrzejewski, Zbigniew Jastrzębski, Alexis Padrón-Cabo

“…A reduction in high-speed running was observed in central defenders (p < 0.05), central midfielders (p < 0.01) and forwards (p < 0.05). …”
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Evolution of technical activity in various playing positions, in relation to match outcomes in professional soccer by Marek Konefał, Paweł Chmura, Tomasz Zając, Jan Chmura, Edward Kowalczuk, Marcin Andrzejewski

“…These players were classified into five positional roles: central defenders (CD), full-backs (FB), central midfielders (CM), wide midfielders (WM) and forwards (F). …”
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Match running performance characterizing the most elite soccer match-play by Toni Modric, Sime Versic, Ryland Morgans, Damir Sekulic

“…No differences in overall MRP between fullbacks, central midfielders, wide midfielders and forwards from BFLTs and their peers from N-BFLTs were found, while only central defenders from BFLTs covered more high-intensity running than central defenders from BFLTs (moderate effects size). …”
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Classified metabolic power-based measures in professional football players: comparison between playing positions and match period by Zeki Akyildiz, Erhan Çene, Coşkun Parim, Onat Çetin, Çağatay Turan, Yılmaz Yüksel, Rui Silva, Ana Filipa Silva, Hadi Nobari

“…Results Significant between-position differences were observed for IP (p: 0.000; d: 0.284), HP (p ≤ 0.001; d = 0.45), EP (p ≤ 0.001; d = 0.44), and for MP (p ≤ 0.001; d = 0.56), with the central defenders (CD) showing the lower values, and the central midfielders (CM) showing the higher values for the overall measures. …”
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How Do Football Playing Positions Differ in Body Composition? A First Insight into White Italian Serie A and Serie B Players by Tindaro Bongiovanni, Alessio Rossi, Federico Genovesi, Giulia Martera, Giuseppe Puleo, Carmine Orlandi, Mirco Spedicato, F. Marcello Iaia, Riccardo Del Vescovo, Stefano Gallo, Roberto Cannataro, Patrizio Ripari, Matteo Levi Micheli, Stefania Cataldi, Athos Trecroci

“…Five hundred and six Serie A and B professional soccer players were included in the study and analyzed according to their playing positions: goalkeepers (GKs), central backs (CBs), fullbacks (FBs), central midfielders (MIDs), wide midfielders (WMs), attacking midfielders (AMs), second strikers (SSs), external strikers (ESs), and central forwards (CFs), as well as their field zones (central and external) and tactical lines (defensive, middle, and offensive). …”
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Relations of the Weekly External Training Load Indicators and Running Performances in Professional Soccer Matches by Toni Modric, Sime Versic, Damir Sekulic

“…The players (age: 23.57±2.84 years) were divided into five playing positions: central defenders (n=18), fullbacks (n=20), central midfielders (n=26), wing midfielders (n=5) and forwards (n=9). …”
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Positional differences in match running performance of professional national-level women soccer players by Toni Modric, Manca Kutnjak, Dusko Bjelica

“…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). …”
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Inter- and intra-microcycle external load analysis in female professional soccer players: A playing position approach. by Elba Diaz-Seradilla, Alejandro Rodríguez-Fernández, José Antonio Rodríguez-Marroyo, Daniel Castillo, Javier Raya-González, José Gerardo Villa Vicente

“…Forwards (FWs) performed (p < 0.05) significantly more sprints (meters and number > 21.0 km·h-1) than central midfielders (CMs) and central defenders (CDs) in MD-2 and MD. …”
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Individual ball possession in soccer. by Daniel Link, Martin Hoernig

“…The analysis of ball possession at the player level indicates shortest accumulated IBC times for the central forwards (0:49 ± 0:43 min) and the longest for goalkeepers (1:38 ± 0:58 min), central defenders (1:38 ± 1:09 min) and central midfielders (1:27 ± 1:08 min). The results could improve performance analysis in soccer, help to detect match events automatically, and allow discernment of higher value tactical structures, which is based on individual ball possession.…”
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Variation in Match Physical Performance in Turkish Super League Soccer Players by Position Across Four Seasons by Utku Alemdaroğlu, Alper Aşçı, Yusuf Köklü

“…Playing positions were categorized as follows: central defender (CD), external defender (ED), central midfielder (CM), external midfielder (EM), and forward (FWR). …”
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Impact of Possession and Player Position on Physical and Technical-Tactical Performance Indicators in the Chinese Football Super League by Tianbiao Liu, Lang Yang, Huimin Chen, Antonio García-de-Alcaraz, Antonio García-de-Alcaraz

“…Players were divided according to five positions: fullbacks, central defenders, wide midfielders, central midfielders, and attackers. A k-means cluster analysis was conducted to classify all match observations into two groups: HPBPT (n = 229) and LPBPT (n = 251). …”
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Position specific physical demands in different phases of competitive matches in national level women’s football by Juho K. Mäkiniemi, Eero H. J. Savolainen, Taija Finni, Johanna Ihalainen

“…HRmean varied from 84–87% of HRmax and was significantly lower for central defenders than central midfielders (p < 0.001). External load variables varied during a match and generally decreased especially after 60 minutes of play compared to first 15-min period of the match. …”
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The Running Performance of Amateur Football Players in Matches with a 1-4-3-3 Formation in Relation to Their Playing Position and the 15-min Time Periods by Vasilis Kaldaras, Yiannis Michailidis, Ioannis Gissis, Thomas I. Metaxas

“…The formation was 1-4-3-3, and the players were divided into five categories: Central Defenders (CDs), Full Backs (FBs), Central Midfielders (CMs), Wingers (Ws), and Center Forwards (FWs). …”
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Technical and Physical Load Variables at Different Positions in U18 Semi-Professional Soccer Players: Differences between the First and Second Half by José Carlos Barbero-Álvarez, Luis Manuel Martínez-Aranda, Filipe Manuel Clemente, Francisco Tomás González-Fernández

“…However, significant declines were observed in the number of ball contacts, different actions per time, and possessions per time among central defenders, lateral defenders, and central midfielders. Regarding the observed physical load demands, it was noted that in outfield players, there was a significant decline in total distances covered at different speed thresholds, as well as a decrease in the number and distance of acceleration measures, most of which were lower in the second halves compared to the first, irrespective of playing positions. …”
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Scanning, Contextual Factors, and Association With Performance in English Premier League Footballers: An Investigation Across a Season by Geir Jordet, Geir Jordet, Karl Marius Aksum, Daniel N. Pedersen, Anup Walvekar, Arjav Trivedi, Alan McCall, Alan McCall, Andreas Ivarsson, Andreas Ivarsson, Andreas Ivarsson, David Priestley, David Priestley

“…Close-up video analyses of scanning show positional differences (with central midfielders and central defenders scanning most frequently, forwards least) and contextual differences (with relatively lower scanning frequency in situations with tight opponent pressure, in positions wide in the field and closer to the opponent’s goal, and under certain game state conditions). …”
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Physical Fitness Characteristics of High-level Youth Football Players: Influence of Playing Position by David Bujnovky, Tomas Maly, Kevin R. Ford, Dai Sugimoto, Egon Kunzmann, Mikulas Hank, Frantisek Zahalka

“…Elite youth football players (<i>n</i> = 123, age = 15.7 &#177; 0.5 years) who played in six different positions, as goalkeepers (GK), full backs (FB), central defenders (CD), wide midfielders (WM), central midfielders (CM), and attackers (AT), were assessed. …”
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Variation in Accelerometer-Derived Instantaneous Acceleration Distribution Curves of Elite Male Soccer Players According to Playing Position: A Pilot Study by Pedro Oliveira, Felipe Arruda Moura, Ivan Baptista, Fábio Yuzo Nakamura, José Afonso

“…Statistical Parametric Mapping was employed to compare playing positions: central defenders (CD), fullbacks (FB), central midfielders (CM), wide midfielders (WM), and strikers (ST). …”
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