Energy Requirements of Male Academy Soccer Players from the English Premier League

Abstract

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Seasonal training and match load and micro-cycle periodization in male Premier League academy soccer players

“…In accordance with training and match duration, "mean" weekly TD in the younger age-groups (U12-U14: ~20-22km•week −1 , range: 16-26 km) was similar between squads but less than that of the older age-groups (U15-U18: ~26 km•week −1 , range: 22-30 km). Interestingly, such data are largely comparable with our previous findings (over a 14-day period) (Hannon et al, 2021) and with mean weekly distances completed by adult EPL players (~26 km•week −1 ), as also completed during a one game per week micro-cycle (Anderson et al, 2016). The increase in TD (and duration) in the older age-groups (U15-U18) also coincides with increases in chronological and biological age as most players have progressed through peak height velocity (PHV; Table 1).…”

“…In this regard, we recently quantified the training and match volume in male players from an English Premier League (EPL) academy over a two-week inseason period. We specifically observed that physical loading patterns (e.g., accumulative total distance) progressively increased from under (U)12/13 (38.3 ± 5.1 km), U15 (53.7 ± 4.5 km) and U18 (54.4 ± 7.1 km) age-groups (Hannon et al, 2021). Such increases in absolute training load in conjunction with increases in fat-free mass also resulted in increased total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) between age-groups (2859 ± 265, 3029 ± 262 and 3586 ± 487 kcal⋅day −1 in the U12/13, U15 and U18 agegroups, respectively) (Hannon et al, 2021).…”

“…We specifically observed that physical loading patterns (e.g., accumulative total distance) progressively increased from under (U)12/13 (38.3 ± 5.1 km), U15 (53.7 ± 4.5 km) and U18 (54.4 ± 7.1 km) age-groups (Hannon et al, 2021). Such increases in absolute training load in conjunction with increases in fat-free mass also resulted in increased total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) between age-groups (2859 ± 265, 3029 ± 262 and 3586 ± 487 kcal⋅day −1 in the U12/13, U15 and U18 agegroups, respectively) (Hannon et al, 2021). It is noteworthy that weekly loading for the U18 players and the associated mean daily TDEE was comparable to previously published data from adult EPL (26 ± 5 km⋅week −1 , 3566 ± 585 kcal⋅day −1 ) and Dutch Eredivisie (~35 km⋅week −1 , 3285 ± 354 kcal⋅day −1 ) players (Anderson et al, 2017;Brinkmans et al, 2019).…”

“…In contrast to adult players, the habitual training loads completed by academy soccer players are less well studied. Indeed, previous reports to date are limited to quantifying the accumulative training and match load (TML) over a period of one-to-two weeks (Coutinho et al, 2015;Hannon et al, 2021;Wrigley et al, 2012) and are often confined to internal measures such as heart rate and/or rating of perceived exertion (Wrigley et al, 2012) or single training metrics such as session duration (Brownlee et al, 2018).…”

UEFA expert group statement on nutrition in elite football. Current evidence to inform practical recommendations and guide future research

“…283 In addition, a subsequent study demonstrated that daily total energy expenditure (TEE) progressively increases as players transition through the academy pathway, likely a reflection of growth and maturation of key physical parameters as well as increased physical loading: U18 players presented with a TEE (3586±487 kcal/day) that was approximately 600 and 700 kcal/day higher than both the U15 (3029±262 kcal/day) and U12/13 players (2859±265 kcal/day), respectively. 284 Such differences in TEE is likely due to a combination of differences in anthropometric profile, RMR and physical loading between squads. An important finding is that TEE is comparable to or exceeds that previously reported in adult Premier League soccer players.…”