How Far Do Soccer Players Run In a Game?
Soccer, also known as ‘football’, is one of the most popular sports in the world. According to ESPN’s equipment manager, the Average Premier League players run between 5–7 miles during a 90-minute game. But, it is not only miles that makes the game so amazing, soccer players do a lot more than just running.
The Facts
Based on the analysis of performances from 400 UEFA Champions League, UEFA EURO and FIFA World Cup matches, it was calculated that on average professional players can cover 11 to 13 km of in a 90-minute match.
Soccer players need to take into account various factors such as the degree of difficulty, position, biomechanics, and energy expenditure in order to assess the total amount of energy that they exert in a game. This is a variable amount and dependent on the player’s capacity and energy output.
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Position: Defenders, midfielders, and forwards all play very different roles, with midfielders running the most, and forwards running the least.
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Playing time: The longer you play, the farther you will run.
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Intensity: A player’s intensity will determined their speed and would affect their overall running distance.
Movement Patterns
In order to understand the distance that players run during a match it is important to understand the movement patterns of the game. It is well documented that a 90-minute soccer match is not continuous and is composed of several different types of movements.
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High Intensity Sprinting: This is considered the most important form of action and is the most demanding form of running.
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Middle Intensity Sprint-Running: This is longer in duration, but shorter in distance than high intensity sprinting.
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Low Intensity Jogging: This occurs more in the defence and consists of short, low intensity runs.
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Walking: This is a common form of movement for players and takes place frequently.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the distance that soccer players run in a game is not a fixed amount, as they need to take into account various factors such as the difficulty of the match and their position on the field. Players will usually run between 5-7 miles in a 90 minute game, but it’s not only the distance that makes the game so challenging, it’s the type of running that makes it difficult.
