: To study the effects of a single soccer game on indices of performance, muscle damage, and inflammation during a 6-day recovery period. : Participants were assigned to either an experimental group (E, played in the game; n = 14) or a control group (C, did not participate in the game; n = 10). : Data were collected on a soccer field and at the Physical Education and Sports Science laboratory of the Democritus University of Thrace before and after the soccer game. : Twenty-four elite male soccer players (age, 20.1 +/- 0.8 years; height, 1.78 +/- 0.08 m; weight, 75.2 +/- 6.8 kg). : Muscle strength, vertical jumping, speed, DOMS, muscle swelling, leukocyte count, creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), C-reactive protein (CRP), cortisol, testosterone, cytokines IL-6 and IL-1b, thioburbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), protein carbnyls (PC), and uric acid (UA). : Performance deteriorated 1 to 4 days post-game. An acute-phase inflammatory response consisted of a post-game peak of leukocyte count, cytokines, and cortisol, a 24-hour peak of CRP, TBARS, and DOMS, a 48-hour peak of CK, LDH, and PC, and a 72-hour peak of uric acid. : A single soccer game induces short-term muscle damage and marked but transient inflammatory responses. Anaerobic performance seems to deteriorate for as long as 72-hour post-game. The acute phase inflammatory response in soccer appears to follow the same pattern as in other forms of exercise. These results clearly indicate the need of sufficient recovery for elite soccer players after a game.

Background: Our aims were to investigate the time-course effects of a futsal match on performance, oxidative stress, and muscle damage markers, as well as inflammatory and antioxidant responses during a 6-day post-match period. Methods: Thirty-four female high-level futsal players were assessed on several oxidative stress, inflammation, subjective muscle soreness, subjective rate perceived exertion, and performance tests before a futsal match, immediately after, and 24 h to 144 h after. Results: Counter movement jump, 20 m, and 10 m sprints performance significantly decreased immediately after the match (p < 0.05) and returned to baseline 72 h post-match (p > 0.05). Delayed onset muscle soreness peaked 24 h post-match and rate perceived exertion peaked post-match (p < 0.05) and returned to baseline 96 h post-match (p > 0.05). Inflammatory biomarkers peaked at 24 h (p < 0.05) and remained significantly elevated for 72 h after the match (p < 0.05). Muscle damage biomarkers peaked at 24 h (p < 0.05) and remained significantly (p < 0.05) elevated for at least 72 h after the match. Oxidative stress markers peaked at 24 h–48 h (p < 0.05) and returned to baseline 120 h post-match (p > 0.05). In respect to antioxidant responses, these peaked at 24 h–48 h post-match (p < 0.05) and returned to baseline 120 h after the match (p > 0.05). Conclusions: A single futsal match induces short/mid-term changes in performance, inflammation, oxidative stress, and muscle damage markers for about 72 h–96 h post-match.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a soccer small-sided game (SSG) on performance, inflammatory, muscle damage and hormonal indicators. Twenty-two male soccer players participated and were assigned to either experimental (EXP = 12) or control (CON = 10) groups. Subjective fatigue (RPE) and lactate (La¯) were measured during the SSG; vertical squat jump (SJ), 20-m sprint, creatine kinase (CK), interleukin-6 (IL-6), cortisol (C), and testosterone (T) were measured before (PRE), after (POST), 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h after the SSG in the EXP group. The heart rate during the SSG reached 92 ± 3% of their HRmax, whereas La¯ and RPE reached 13.02 ± 1.60 mmol·L⁻¹ and 15 ± 1 after SSG, respectively. The IL-6, different among measurements (F (1.04, 11.50) = 504.82, p < 0.001), peaked (3.52 ± 0.43 pg·mL⁻¹ [95%CI; 3.28–3.77]) after the SSG and returned to baseline 24 h later. The CK, different among measurements (F (1.76, 19.32) = 93.96, p < 0.001), peaked (536.58 ± 124.73U·L⁻¹ [95%CI; 466.01–607.15]) 24 h after the SSG and remained significantly higher than PRE condition in POST and up to 72 h later. The T/C ratio, significantly different among measurements (F (1.73, 19.05) = 12.12, p < 0.001), was at its lowest (0.44 ± 0.16 [95%CI; 0.35–0.54]) immediately after the SSG (p < 0.05) and returned to baseline after 24 h. It seems that 48 h (at the most) after an SSG is adequate time for players to recover, and a high training load should be avoided sooner than 24 h after an SSG.

The purpose of this study was to compare the internal and external load in continuous and intermittent small-sided games (SSG) formats. Eight semi-professional soccer players participated in the study, and they completed three protocols: (a) I-intermittent SSG protocol (Int-I, 4 sets of 4 min with a 3 min recovery); (b) Continuous SSG protocol (Con, 2 sets of 8 min with a 3 min recovery); (c) II-SSG protocol (Int-II, 4 sets of 4 min, where each set includes 1 min of exercise with varying recovery periods (10, 20, 30 s), with a 3 min recovery period between sets). A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the dependent variables, with significance determined at p < 0.05. The three protocols differed in total distance covered and in distance covered at speeds >19 km/h, with the Int-II protocol resulting in the greatest distance covered (p < 0.05). Additionally, players in the Con protocol exercised at a higher percentage of their maximum heart rate (%HRmax) (p < 0.05), while the highest RPE value was observed in the Int-I interval protocol (p < 0.05). The external load experienced by players in intermittent SSG protocols is higher, while internal load (%HRmax) remains relatively low. This effect is especially notable in the new intermittent exercise model proposed in this study, which incorporates progressively increasing recovery times within each exercise set. Coaches can use this model to increase players’ external load without causing a heightened perception of fatigue.

This study examined the physiological and performance adaptations of association football (soccer) players during a six-week transitional (off-season) period following the competitive season through a remotely supervised, periodized training program. Fifteen male players (19.57 ± 1.14 years; training experience: 13.60 ± 1.81 years) from the Greek Super League 2 completed pre- and post-intervention laboratory assessments, including anthropometry, cardiopulmonary function, isokinetic strength, and jump performance. The program integrated high-intensity interval training, aerobic conditioning, and individualized resistance training, adjusted according to test results. Anthropometric parameters remained stable. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max) increased significantly by 2.8% (56.31 ± 3.87 vs. 57.91 ± 3.02 mL/kg/min), while anaerobic threshold time and velocity declined by 6.2% (472.87 ± 35.06 vs. 443.33 ± 24.69 sec) and anaerobic threshold velocity fell by 6.1% (15.97 ± 1.17 vs. 15.00 ± 0.91 km/h), indicating a partial preservation of aerobic capacity but reductions in submaximal endurance. Isokinetic strength of the quadriceps and hamstrings was maintained across angular velocities, but squat jump height decreased significantly by 4.3% (p = 0.033), suggesting a loss of concentric-only explosive power despite stable countermovement jump performance. These findings indicate that targeted off-season training can maintain overall physical readiness, body composition, and VO₂max, but may require additional endurance and concentric power elements to preserve all performance qualities essential for the competitive season. Overall, the program effectively preserved most performance variables with only minor decrements, representing a favorable outcome for the off-season; however, if greater asymmetries, deficits, or other training targets are identified, more specific adjustments to training intensities, such as the inclusion of additional endurance and concentric-only power elements, may be required to achieve significant improvements.