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Effects of a Novel Neuromuscular Training Intervention on Jump, Sprint, and Change of Direction in Adult Female Soccer Players
Published on: June 10, 2025
Repeated-sprint sequences during youth soccer matches
M Buchheit1, A Mendez-villanueva, B M Simpson
1Physiology Unit, Sport Science Department ASPIRE, Academy for Sports Excellence, Doha, Qatar. martin.buchheit@aspire.qa
International Journal of Sports Medicine
|July 10, 2010
Summary
Younger soccer players perform more repeated-sprint sequences (RSS) than older players. Sprinting characteristics in soccer are influenced by player age, position, and game time.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Exercise Physiology
- Youth Soccer Performance
Background:
- Repeated-sprint sequences (RSS) are critical in soccer, involving multiple sprints within a short recovery period.
- Understanding how age, playing position, and game time influence RSS in young athletes is crucial for talent development and training.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the occurrence and characteristics of RSS in highly-trained young soccer players.
- To analyze the impact of age, playing position, and playing time on RSS during competitive matches.
Main Methods:
- Time-motion analysis using global positioning system (GPS) technology.
- Data collected from 99 highly-trained youth soccer players (U13-U18) across 42 international games.
- Defined sprint activities and RSS based on velocity and recovery time thresholds.
Main Results:
- Younger age groups (U13-U14) exhibited a higher number of RSS compared to older groups (U15-U18) during the first half.
- Younger players performed more and longer individual sprints within each RSS.
- RSS occurrence varied by playing position and generally decreased as the game progressed across most age categories.
Conclusions:
- Player age, playing position, and accumulated playing time significantly affect both the frequency and nature of RSS in young soccer players.
- The findings suggest that the importance of repeated-sprint ability as a key physical component in developing soccer players may need re-evaluation.
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