The Physiology of Soccer: What Practitioners Need to Know
- Complete Performance
- Sep 25
- 4 min read
Soccer is the world’s most played sport, yet the physical and physiological demands that underpin performance remain complex. A recent comprehensive review of the physiology of soccer provides valuable insights into what drives success on the pitch and how coaches and practitioners can better prepare their athletes.
Physical Demands of the Game
At the elite level, outfield players cover 10 to 12 km per match, while goalkeepers average around 4 km. Midfielders generally run the most, while attackers and defenders perform more high-intensity bursts.
Importantly, performance tends to drop in the second half, with 5 to 10% less distance covered compared to the first half (Figure 1).
Players perform around 1000 to 1400 short actions per game, changing activity every 4 to 6 seconds. This includes:
10 to 20 sprints (lasting 2 to 4 seconds each)
High-intensity runs every 70 seconds
15 tackles
10 headers
50 ball involvements and 30 passes
While soccer is largely aerobic, with average heart rate sitting at 80 to 90% HRmax close to the anaerobic threshold, the decisive actions such as sprints, duels, jumps, and accelerations rely on anaerobic metabolism. The ability to repeatedly produce and recover from these bursts often decides matches.
Aerobic and Anaerobic Capacities
Elite male outfield players typically show a VO₂max of 50 to 75 mL/kg/min, while goalkeepers are lower, around 50 to 55 mL/kg/min. Over recent decades, aerobic capacity in top teams has increased, supporting the modern game’s faster pace and higher intensity.
Lactate measurements highlight the game’s intermittent nature. Values are often higher in the first half and drop in the second, reflecting fatigue and reduced high-intensity efforts. Players with higher VO₂max not only tolerate higher workloads but also clear lactate more effectively, enabling faster recovery between sprints.
For practitioners, this means:
Conditioning must combine aerobic endurance (to sustain effort) with anaerobic power (to win decisive moments).
Training should reflect the game’s intermittent profile, with repeated sprint work, short intervals, and rapid recovery challenges.
Strength, Power, and Injury Prevention
Soccer performance is not just about endurance. Strength and power directly influence acceleration, turning, sprinting, and jumping, all skills that often decide scoring opportunities.
Research shows a strong link between maximal squat strength and sprint performance in elite players. Gains in maximal strength enhance relative strength, which in turn translates into greater power output. Figure 2 provides a graphical illustration of the percentage improvements achieved through different training approaches—traditional resistance exercise programs (TRE), combined programs (COM), and strength/power training programs—across various motor tasks and in overall functional performance (FP) of high-level players. This visualization may help coaches decide which training program best serves specific performance goals. In addition, it is known that structured strength training has also been shown to reduce injuries by up to 50%.
This highlights the dual role of strength training:
Enhancing performance in explosive actions.
Acting as a protective buffer against common soccer injuries.
For coaches, including maximal strength training (for example heavy squats or eccentric work) alongside traditional endurance work is essential for a balanced and resilient player.
Seasonal and Positional Differences
Not all players face the same demands:
Midfielders typically cover the greatest distance and require superior aerobic fitness.
Attackers rely heavily on repeat sprint ability.
Defenders must excel in duels, accelerations, and explosive strength.
Goalkeepers need agility, explosive jumping, and short-burst sprinting, but far less aerobic endurance.
Seasonal studies show aerobic capacity and performance fluctuate across the year, often peaking mid-season and declining toward the end. This makes periodized conditioning, with targeted “VO₂ cures” such as short periods of high-intensity aerobic work, a useful tool to boost fitness before and during the competitive calendar.
Practical Takeaways for Practitioners
For coaches, S&C staff, and practitioners working in soccer, the physiological evidence points to several clear priorities:
Condition both energy systems. Aerobic endurance underpins sustained performance, while anaerobic power wins decisive moments. Training must develop both.
Integrate strength and power work. Maximal strength training improves speed and agility while reducing injury risk.
Train the game’s rhythm. Soccer is intermittent, and players must adapt to repeated high-intensity bursts interspersed with active recovery.
Individualize by position. Midfielders need endurance, attackers sprint capacity, defenders strength, and goalkeepers' explosive power.
Plan season-long conditioning. Fitness varies across the season, and structured “fitness top-ups” are key to maintaining high levels.
FINAL WORD
The physiology of soccer highlights a clear message: technical and tactical skill can only be expressed consistently when underpinned by high physical capacity. Soccer is a game of repeated high-intensity demands built upon a strong aerobic foundation. For practitioners, blending endurance, strength, and power work, while tailoring training to positional and seasonal needs, is the pathway to improved performance and reduced injury risk. ✏️Author: Assist. Prof. Armin Paravlić, PhD
Reference:
Stølen T, Chamari K, Castagna C, Wisløff U. Physiology of soccer: an update. Sports Med. 2005;35(6):501-36. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200535060-00004. PMID: 15974635.
Silva JR, Nassis GP, Rebelo A. Strength training in soccer with a specific focus on highly trained players. Sports Med Open. 2015;1(1):17. doi: 10.1186/s40798-015-0006-z. Epub 2015 Apr 2. PMID: 26284158; PMCID: PMC5005570.
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