Evolution of soccer as a research topic

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Bibliometrics
• Kinesiology

Background:

• Soccer is the world's most popular sport, evidenced by its high participation rates.
• It is also the most extensively researched sport, with a significant increase in publications since the late 1970s.
• Over 98% of soccer research has been published post-1980, indicating a recent boom in scientific inquiry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze trends in soccer research publications.
• To identify major and specialty topics within soccer science.
• To highlight neglected research areas and key contributors in the field.

Main Methods:

• Bibliometric analysis of soccer-related publications.
• Trend analysis of research topics, demographics, and performance indicators.
• Identification of prolific researchers, institutions, and journals in soccer science.

Main Results:

• Research on soccer has grown exponentially since 1980.
• Key research areas include sex, age group, performance, and injuries.
• Specialty topics encompass agility, deceleration, and impact injuries.

Conclusions:

• Examining research trends offers insights into evolving scientific focus and neglected areas in soccer.
• This analysis aids students in identifying productive researchers, programs, and journals for soccer-related studies.
• Understanding research trajectories is crucial for advancing the scientific understanding of soccer.