Influence of contextual factors on match running performance in elite soccer team

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine the main effects and interactions of playing position, match result and opposition level on match running activities of an elite soccer team during a competitive season. Twenty-eight (28) Super League matches played by a professional soccer team were collected during a season using global positioning system technology. Maximum speed, number of sprints (NrSP), total distance (TD), high (HSR), medium, low and walking speed distances were analyzed. Three (3) contextual factors of playing position, match result and opposition level were considered. A total of 157 data items from 20 players were used in statistical analysis. Significant interactions (p< 0.05) with large effect sizes between playing position and opposition level and between game result and opposition level were observed on TD and HSR. Further analysis of game result – opposition level interaction showed that the team significantly (p <0.05) covered more HSR distance against best and middle teams when winning compared to losing, while the team covered significantly (p <0.05) more TD against best and middle teams when the game result was win or draw in comparison to loss. Regarding the further analysis of interaction between playing position and opposition level on TD, HSR and NrSP, the results showed that CD covered significantly (p <0.001) less TD, HSR and NrSP in comparison to MD and AT against best, middle and last teams. MD covered significantly (p <0.01) more TD in comparison to CD, FB and AT against best teams, whereas no significant differences on TD were observed between playing position against last teams. These findings suggest that HSR distances covered by an elite team throughout a season affected by more than one contextual factors (playing position, match result and opposition level) interact with each other. These data broaden our knowledge on the impact of contextual factors, interactively, upon the physical match performance of an elite soccer team throughout a season. © JPES.