Maximal Aerobic Power Characteristics of Male Professional Soccer Players, 1989–2012

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to quantify maximal aerobic power (VO 2max ) in soccer as a function of performance level, position, age, and time of season. In addition, the authors examined the evolution of VO 2max among professional players over a 23-y period. Methods: 1545 male soccer players (22 ± 4 y, 76 ± 8 kg, 181 ± 6 cm) were tested for VO 2max at the Norwegian Olympic Training Center between 1989 and 2012. Results: No differences in VO 2max were observed among national-team players, 1st-and 2nd-division players, and juniors. Midfielders had higher VO 2max than defenders, forwards, and goalkeepers (P < .05). Players <18 y of age had ~3% higher VO 2max than 23-to 26-y-old players (P = .016). The players had 1.6% and 2.1% lower VO 2max during off-season than preseason (P = .046) and in season (P = .021), respectively. Relative to body mass, VO 2max among the professional players in this study has not improved over time. Professional players tested during 2006-2012 actually had 3.2% lower VO 2max than those tested from 2000 to 2006 (P = .001). Conclusions:This study provides effect-magnitude estimates for the influence of performance level, player position, age, and season time on VO 2max in men's elite soccer. The findings from a robust data set indicate that VO 2max values ~62-64 mL · kg -1 · min -1 fulfill the demands for aerobic capacity in men's professional soccer and that VO 2max is not a clearly distinguishing variable separating players of different standards.Keywords: relative VO 2max , aerobic capacity, soccer, physical performanceThe importance of high maximal aerobic power (VO 2max ) in modern soccer is heavily debated. Reported test results have varied widely with VO 2max values between 50 and 75 mL · kg -1 · min -1 among outfield athletes. 1 Some investigations indicate that lower-ranked teams have lower VO 2max than the best teams. 2,3 Reilly et al 4 claim that VO 2max is not a sensitive measure of performance capability in soccer and suggest that VO 2max >60 mL represents a threshold to possess the physiological attributes for success in men's elite soccer. In contrast, Stølen et al 1 claim that it would be reasonable to expect about 70 mL · kg -1 · min -1 for a 75-kg professional soccer player, a value similar to that in elite middle-distance athletes. 5 It is also unclear whether there are positional differences in VO 2max among male soccer athletes. 4,6,7 The Norwegian Olympic training center has served as a standard testing facility for a large number of teams across a broad range of performance levels, including essentially all national-team players. A database of VO 2max results collected over 2 decades provided the potential for more rigorously testing the hypotheses presented in previous studies. Thus, the aim of this study was to quantify possible differences in VO 2max as a function of athlete playing standard, field position, age, and time of season. In addition, we evaluated the evolution of VO 2max in the Norwegian national squad over a 23-year period. Materia...

Evolution of match performance parameters for various playing positions in the English Premier League

“…This trend in physical performance could potentially be attributed to improvements in the players' physical capacity through enhanced physical preparation, or via an influx of players into the EPL with innately higher levels of physical fitness. Evidence would suggest VO2max of elite players has stayed relatively stable over the last two decades (Tønnessen, Hem, Leirstein, Haugen, & Seiler, 2013) although this may not be the most appropriate measure of physical capacity in elite team sports, with intermittent exercise capacity identified as a more sensitive measure than VO2max (Iaia, Rampinini, & Bangsbo, 2009;Krustrup & Bangsbo, 2001). Data from our laboratory indicates that the average distance covered by elite soccer players during the Yo-Yo Intermittent Endurance…”

Blood lactate and oxygen consumption in soccer players: comparison between different positions on the field

“…Our results are very close to those found by some studies on soccer players in these two positions. 23,24 The greater running speed found at VT 2 in the players with higher aerobic performance appears to be a response that is related to the type of movement and the distance covered by these players (fullbacks and midfielders); these values are smaller in defenders and strikers; however, fullbacks and midfielders exhibit, much lower values than those observed in long-distance runners. This is probably due to the low emphasis given to specific aerobic training.…”

Reference values for the sprint performance in male football players aged from 9–35 years

“…These results are more strongly associated with the faster movements of the external defenders and wide midfielders [15,60]. Based on the great importance of this fast movement, some recent studies have suggested that elite football players have become faster over time, while their aerobic capacity has plateaued [22,58]. Additionally, the time-motion analysis carried out on elite football players revealed that the mean sprint duration mostly occurred in distances smaller than 20 m and within a time period of between 2 and 4 seconds [8,60].…”