Identifying the optimal preparatory posture of football goalkeepers can be very relevant for improving goalkeepers' diving save performance, and coaching practices of technical and strength and conditioning coaches. This study aimed to analyse the effect of different starting stance widths and knee flexion angles on movement time, center of mass (CoM) trajectory and velocity in goalkeepers' diving saves. Ten elite goalkeepers performed dives from preferred (PT) and imposed postures, by altering knee angle (45, 75, and 90 •) and stance width (50, 75, and 100% of leg length) independently, at the starting position. Repeated measures ANOVA showed a main effect of preparatory posture on dive time (p < 0.01). Pairwise comparisons showed that the fastest dive movement time was observed when goalkeepers started from a stance width of 75% (SW75). CoM traveled a larger distance between contralateral and ipsilateral peak ground reaction forces in SW75 than PT (p < 0.05). The goalkeepers were also more efficient in SW75, as a smaller countermovement and vertical velocity range were observed during high and low dives, respectively, from SW75 than PT (p < 0.05). Thus, diving from a position with wider stance width than the preferred one leads to shorter movement time, and a faster and more direct CoM trajectory toward the ball.

The aim of this study was to identify biomechanical characteristics of goalkeeper's diving performance in football. Lower extremity joints powers, moments, and angular velocities, were investigated in seven elite goalkeepers diving to save balls, shot from a ball canon to unanticipated heights (high and low) and sides (right and left). Our result showed that there was a proximal-to-distal sequence for each leg in timing of peak joints powers (p < 0.05). Hip extensors produced the largest (p < 0.05) peak moment, the contralateral (relative to dive side) peak was significantly larger than the ipsilateral one for high (4.56 ± 1.02 N·m·kg −1 , and 3.52 ± 0.79 N·m·kg −1 ) and low dives (3.52 ± 0.79 N·m·kg −1 , and 2.52 ± 0.56 N·m·kg −1 ). The ankle plantar flexors produced the second largest peak moment (p < 0.05), and the peak ipsilateral ankle power and angular velocity were the largest (p < 0.05) of all joints, during high (1,502 ± 338 W, and 14.73 ± 1.36 rad·s −1 ) and low dives (868 ± 263 W, and 14.14 ± 3.09 rad·s −1 ). Strength and conditioning coaches need to focus on hip extensors and ankle plantar flexors, and for specificity in power training that should elicit triple extension of the lower limbs' joints in a proximal-to-distal sequence.

Visual gaze behaviour, and in particular Quiet Eye (QE), have been found to be important in aiming tasks in multiple sports. The aim of this study is to provide insight into the characteristics of gaze behaviour in a moving condition, that is of football players during the run-up and kick of free kicks. Fourteen skilled youth players performed a set of free-kick trials while their eyes were being tracked. Two QE periods have been determined prior to a critical phase of the kick: QE Target and QE Ball. For the scored trials both the QE Target (M = 886 ms SE = 78 ms) and QE Ball (M = 627 ms SE = 52 ms) duration were significantly longer than in the missed trials, QE Target (M = 488 ms SE = 45 ms) and QE Ball (M = 513 ms SE = 80 ms). The analysis of the number of fixations suggests that one fixation on a target is the optimum, and more (2-3x) or no fixations resulted in less accurate shooting. These results provide insight into the characteristics of football shooting that can be incorporated into shooting practice in order to improve performance.

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