Sprint profile of professional female soccer players during competitive matches: Female Athletes in Motion (FAiM) study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine sprint profiles of professional female soccer players and evaluate how various speed thresholds impact those outcomes. Seventy-one professional players competing in full matches were assessed repeatedly during 12 regular season matches using a Global Positioning System (GPS). Locomotion ≥18 km · h⁻¹ was defined as sprinting and each event was classified into: Zone 1: 18.0-20.9 km· h⁻¹; Zone 2: 21.0-22.9 km · h⁻¹; Zone 3: 23.0-24.9 km · h⁻¹ and Zone 4: >25 km · h⁻¹. Outcomes included: duration (s), distance (m), maximum speed (km · h⁻¹), duration since previous sprint (min) and proportion of total sprint distance. In total 5,019 events were analysed from 139 player-matches. Mean sprint duration, distance, maximum speed and time between sprints were 2.3 ± 1.5 s, 15.1 ± 9.4 m, 21.8 ± 2.3 km· h⁻¹, and 2.5 ± 2.5 min, respectively. Mean sprint distances were 657 ± 157, 447 ± 185, and 545 ± 217 m for forwards, midfielders and defenders, respectively (P ≤ 0.046). Midfielders had shorter sprint duration (P = 0.023), distance (P ≤ 0.003) and maximum speed (P < 0.001), whereas forwards performed more sprints per match (43 ± 10) than midfielders (31 ± 11) and defenders (36 ± 12) (P ≤ 0.016). Forty-five percent, 29%, 15%, and 11% of sprints occurred in sprint Zones 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. This group of professional female soccer players covered 5.3 ± 2.0% of total distance ≥18 km · h⁻¹ with positional differences and percent decrements distinct from other previously identified elite players. These data should guide the development of high intensity and sprint thresholds for elite-standard female soccer players.