Correlation Between Match Performance and Field Tests in Professional Soccer Players

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate possible correlations between aerobic and anaerobic fitness (in field tests) with performance during a 90 min friendly match, through the following variables: total distance covered, maximal running speed, number of high-intensity actions and number of sprints. Eighteen professional soccer players from a Brazilian elite team (age 23 ± 3 years, body mass 77.5 ± 8.9 kg) participated in the study. The athletes performed a Yo-Yo Endurance Test (aerobic fitness) and a Running Anaerobic Sprint Test (six maximal 35 m efforts separated by 10 s of passive recovery, anaerobic fitness). Data were collected during friendly matches using a GPS with 5 Hz technology. To establish the correlation between the variables determined during the matches, the Pearson correlation coefficient was used (significance level of p ≤ 0.05). A high correlation was found between distance covered in the Yo-Yo endurance test and total distance covered (r = 0.72; p < 0.05), number of high-intensity actions (r = 0.78; p < 0.05) and number of sprints (r = 0.88; p < 0.01) in the soccer matches. The RAST variables did not relate to the standards set during the matches (p < 0.05). From the results of the present study, it may be concluded that there is no correlation between RAST and friendly match data variables. However, better results in the Yo-Yo endurance test correlate with total distance, number of high-intensity actions and sprints during matches.

COVID-19-Related Restrictions and Quarantine COVID-19: Effects on Cardiovascular and Yo-Yo Test Performance in Professional Soccer Players

“…Yo-Yo test has a higher ecological validity and reliability (Castagna et al, 2019;Francini et al, 2019), since soccer matches performance analyses have shown that >90% of all sprints in games are shorter than 20 m, acceleration and deceleration capabilities are essential for soccer athletes (Modric et al, 2019). Still, the importance of peak velocity increases during the game when sprints start from a jogging or non-stationary condition (Datson et al, 2014;Palucci Vieira et al, 2019;Slimani and Nikolaidis, 2019), with the Yo-Yo intermittent test being useful to evaluate the physical fitness condition of soccer players in terms of levels (Redkva et al, 2018;Povoas et al, 2020;Castagna et al, 2020b), gender (Emmonds et al, 2019;Castagna et al, 2020a), and age classes (Ehlert et al, 2019;Francini et al, 2019).…”

External Load Variables Affect Recovery Markers up to 72 h After Semiprofessional Football Matches

“…Separate analyses were done for each external load variable for every recovery marker. The main effect of interest, Time × match load, was adjusted for baseline to address the regression to the mean effect, and YOYOmax to address the possibility of fitness being a confounder affecting both match load (Krustrup et al, 2003; Bradley et al, 2013; Redkva et al, 2018) and recovery (Johnston et al, 2015). Furthermore, to properly evaluate the magnitude of the effect of continuous variables, they were rescaled by dividing by two standard deviations (SDs).…”

The prediction of repeated sprint and speed endurance performance by parameters of critical velocity models in soccer

“…In study performed on professional soccer players, it was found that the correlation between RAST parameters and soccer match performance (total distance, maximum speed, high intensity and sprint count during soccer match) was not significant statistically [51]. Although the parameters determined in mentioned study were anaerobic activities except for total distance, the relationship between RAST and match parameters was not found by Redkva et al [51].…”