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Total Genotype Score Relates to Playing Time and Starter Role in Football: a Pilot Study
David Varillas-Delgado1, Arturo Franco-Andrés1, Jaime González-García1,2
1Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Spain.
International Journal of Sports Medicine
|October 13, 2025
Summary
Higher total genotype scores in football players correlate with more playing time, matches started, and distances covered. Genetic profiling can aid in identifying elite athletes and developing talent.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Genetics
- Human Performance
Background:
- Elite sports performance relies on a complex interplay of genetic and physiological factors.
- Understanding genetic predispositions can enhance talent identification and player development strategies.
- Muscle performance-related genetic polymorphisms are increasingly studied for their impact on athletic capabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between a total genotype score and key performance metrics in professional football players.
- To determine if genetic profiling can predict starter status in elite football.
- To explore the association between genetic markers and competition time, distances covered, and speed thresholds.
Main Methods:
- A prospective pilot study involving 34 professional male football players over three seasons.
- DNA genotyping for six muscle performance-related polymorphisms to calculate a total genotype score.
- Analysis of competition data including total time, distances covered at various speed thresholds, and starter status using Global Positioning System (GPS) data.
Main Results:
- A total genotype score threshold of 75.0 a.u. differentiated starters (AUC=0.689).
- Players with higher scores (>75.0) played more matches, started more games, had greater playing time, and covered more distance.
- Higher total genotype scores significantly predicted starter status (OR=5.00, p=0.030) and were linked to increased match participation and distance covered (p<0.01).
Conclusions:
- Total genotype score is a significant predictor of performance metrics and starter status in professional football.
- Genetic profiling, when integrated with performance data (like GPS), offers a novel approach for talent identification and player development in elite sports.
- This study highlights the potential of combining genetic information with objective performance data to optimize athlete selection and training regimes.
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