Playing position specifics of associations between running performance during the training and match in male soccer players

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the position-specific associations between running performance (RP) during the training and match in professional-level male soccer.

Methods: The RPs of 15 players (age 23.57 ± 2.84 years, body height 181.9 ± 5.17 cm, body mass 78.36 ± 4.18 kg) were measured by the Global Positioning System over one half-season of the highest-level Croatian soccer competition and assessed according to their playing positions: central defenders (n = 22), fullbacks (n = 23), wide midfielders (n = 29), wingers (n = 6), and forwards (n = 12). Variables included the total distance covered; the distance covered by low intensity running, running, high-speed running, sprinting, and high intensity running; and the number of accelerations, high-intensity accelerations (HIA), decelerations, and high-intensity decelerations (HID).

Results: Analysis of variance revealed significant differences in high-speed running, HID, and HIA (p = .01, all highest in forwards), and sprinting (p = .01, highest in the wide midfielders). The HIA and HID at training were significantly (p = .04 and .01, respectively) correlated (r = .42 and .52) with the corresponding match RP in fullbacks. The high-intensity running (high-speed running + sprinting), running, HIA and HID performance values were significantly correlated (r = .64, .52, .59, and .52, respectively; all p = .01) with the corresponding running performances from matches in central midfielders.

Conclusions: Structure-specific training is highly recommended for some playing positions. The information obtained can be used to improve soccer training programs.