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Injury incidence and patterns in men's UEFA EURO 2024 and CONMEBOL Copa America 2024: descriptive findings from two
Evert Verhagen1,2, Katrine Okholm Kryger1, Zoran Bahtijarevic1
1Medical & Anti-Doping, Football Division, UEFA, Nyon, Switzerland.
Background:
Injury surveillance is fundamental for understanding and managing risks in elite football. The simultaneous organisation of Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) EURO 2024 and Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol (CONMEBOL) Copa America 2024 created a unique chance to use a standardised method across two major men's tournaments, providing descriptive insights into injury rates and patterns in various competitive settings.
Objective:
To analyse the incidence, severity and burden of time-loss injuries across both tournaments.
Methods:
A prospective injury surveillance study was conducted using standardised methodologies from UEFA's Elite Club Injury Study and International Olympic Committee reporting guidelines. Injury incidence rates (IRs) were calculated per 1000 hours of exposure, and injury burden was measured in tournament days lost per 1000 hours.
Results:
A total of 85 injuries were recorded, resulting in an overall IR of 4.0 per 1000 hours (95% CI: 3.1 to 4.8). Match injury rates (16.3 per 1000 hours; 95% CI: 11.9 to 20.7) were significantly higher than training rates (1.8 per 1000 hours; 95% CI: 1.2 to 2.4). Injury rates were comparable between UEFA EURO (3.9 per 1000 hours; 95% CI: 2.9 to 4.9) and CONMEBOL Copa America (4.2 per 1000 hours; 95% CI: 2.6 to 5.7). The injury burden was higher in UEFA EURO (30.0 vs 18.3 days lost per 1000 hours). Muscle injuries (58%) and lower extremity injuries (86%) were the most common.
Conclusions:
Injury patterns were broadly similar across tournaments, with lower extremity injuries, particularly muscle injuries, being the most common. The study highlights the presence and impact of pre-existing injuries on player availability and underscores the practical value of harmonised injury surveillance, even in small sample contexts, to enhance international data comparability and support future multi-tournament analyses.
