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Quantifying technical actions in professional soccer using foot-mounted inertial measurement units
Joshua Marris1,2, Steve Barrett3, Grant Abt1
1Department of Sport, Health and Exercise Science, University of Hull, Kingston upon Hull, UK.
Science & Medicine in Football
|April 27, 2022
Summary
This study validates a foot-mounted inertial measurement unit for tracking soccer actions and reveals how technical actions vary by training day, player position, and drill type in professional soccer.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Biomechanics
- Performance Analysis
Background:
- Accurate monitoring of technical actions in professional soccer is crucial for performance optimization.
- Foot-mounted inertial measurement units (IMUs) offer a potential solution for objective data collection during training.
- Understanding variations in technical actions within the microcycle, across positions, and between drill types is essential for effective training periodization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish the concurrent validity and intra-unit reliability of a foot-mounted IMU for monitoring soccer technical actions.
- To quantify within-microcycle and inter-positional differences in technical actions during professional soccer training.
- To determine the influence of drill category on technical actions in professional soccer training.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-one professional soccer players' technical performance data (ball touches, releases, and their frequencies per minute) were collected over 24 weekly microcycles.
- Data were analyzed using general linear modelling to assess validity, reliability, and differences across training variables.
- A foot-mounted IMU was validated against retrospective video analyses.
Main Results:
- The IMU demonstrated good concurrent validity (95.1%–100.0%) and intra-unit reliability (95.9%–96.9%).
- Peak technical actions occurred on MD-1, with highest frequencies on MD-5.
- Central midfielders exhibited the highest volume and frequency of technical actions; small-sided games generated more actions per minute than tactical drills.
Conclusions:
- Foot-mounted IMUs are valid and reliable tools for monitoring technical actions in professional soccer training.
- Significant differences in technical actions exist based on the day of the microcycle, player position, and drill category.
- These findings provide a novel understanding to inform training prescription and periodization in professional soccer.
