The monitoring of players’ work-rate profiles during competition is now feasible through computer-aided motion analysis. The aim of the present study was to examine how various playing positions and match outcomes (i.e. won, drawn, lost) affect the total distance, and the distances covered at...

The aim of the study was to examine the ways playing positions and match outcome (i.e. win, draw, loss) affect the sprint distance covered and the number of sprints performed by German Bundesliga soccer players. Match performance data were collected from 350 soccer players competing in the German Bundesliga during the 2014/2015 domestic season. A total of 4393 individual match observations were undertaken on outfield players. The analysis was carried using the Impire AG motion analysis system with records of all movements of players in all the 306 matches. The recorded variables included total sprint distance covered and the total number of sprints in offensive and defensive play. The conformity assessment was carried out with the Shapiro-Wilk test (P≤0.01). To compare mean values of the examined variables a two-way ANOVA was used. The differences between pairs of means were verified with Fisher's LSD. The analysis of the covered sprint distance and the number of performed sprints showed that central defenders and full-backs covered shorter distances in won matches than in lost matches (P≤0.05). Furthermore, forwards and wide midfielders covered significantly longer sprint distances in won matches than in lost matches (P≤0.05). The match outcome may be viewed as a measure of performance accomplishment and, hence, it may influence the sprinting efforts made by players.

The aim of the present study was to analyze motor activities of soccer players in seven consecutive rounds of matches of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and to compare the performance of the world champions, the German national team with other participating teams. The study sample comprised 905 observations of 340 soccer players, who played full-time matches in all seven rounds of the tournament. The study was conducted using data collected from the Castrol Performance Index, a kinematic game analysis system that records movements of players with semi-automatic cameras. The following variables were analyzed: total distance covered, the percentage of total distance covered at high intensity, the number of sprints, frequency of sprints and peak running speed. A statistically significant increase (p ≤ 0.01) was noted in total distance covered, the percentage of distance covered at high intensity and total number of sprints, between the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the World Cup tournament in Brazil. The German national team covered a significantly longer total distance (p ≤ 0.05) and had a greater percentage of distance covered at high intensity (p ≤ 0.001) than players from other teams. The obtained results point to the necessity of development of players’ aerobic endurance and speed-endurance abilities while preparing for top-level soccer tournaments. Winning a soccer championship requires players to run longer mean total distances and longer distances at high intensity during a single match.

The aim of the present study is to examine how various playing positions and end result (i.e. won, drawn or lost match) affect the total covered distance and distances covered at low and high-intensity by German Bundesliga soccer players. Match performance data were collected from 350 soccer players competing in the German Bundesliga during the 2014/2015 domestic season. A total of 4393 individual match observations were undertaken on outfield players. The analysis was carried out using the Impire AG motion analysis system recording all movements of players in all 306 matches. The examined variables included total distance covered and distance covered in low-intensity and high-intensity running. The analysis of distance covered at high intensity shows that central defenders and full-backs covered shorter distances in won matches than in lost matches (p ≤ 0.01). Furthermore, forwards covered significantly longer distances in won matches than in drawn and lost matches (p ≤ 0.05). In conclusion, the results indicate the importance of considering match outcome and playing positions in the assessment of physical aspects of soccer players’ performance.

The aim of this study was to determine what physical and technical activities of soccer players in different pitch positions affect significantly the match outcome of professional German soccer players; as well as to examine whether differences in physical and technical activities increase or reduce the probability of a match being won. The study sample comprised 4393 individual match observations of 350 soccer players competing in the Bundesliga during the 2014/2015 domestic season. Analysis was confined to outfield players (other than goalkeepers) who completed entire matches, and was carried out using the Impire AG motion analysis system. The selection of physical and technical activities to be used in predictive models was achieved using the lasso method. The odds ratio revealed that an mean running speed in the second half that was greater by 0.1 km/h was associated with a 27.0% improvement in the odds of a match being won (OR=1.27; 95% CI: 1.17 to 1.38) (forwards), 15.7% (OR=1.16; 95% CI: 1.09 to 1.23) (wide midfielders), and 10.0% (OR=1.10; 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.17) (central midfielders). Furthermore, in the case of wide midfielders, a significant variable was the distance covered at >24 km/h, with an increase of 0.1 km associated with odds of winning the game improved by 31.7% (OR=1.32; 95% CI: 1.05 to 1.66). Match outcome is affected significantly where peak and mean running speeds in the second half of the match are greater, and where longer distances are covered at speeds in excess of 24 km/h.