Search

Hip strength has been shown to influence the incidence of injury in women's football. The first objective of our study was to examine the differences in isometric strength of the adductors and abductors between two test positions (0° vs. 45° hip angle). Our second objective was to verify the sensitivity of the two test positions in discriminating between women footballers with and without a history of groin pain in the last twelve months. One hundred and one elite players from the Slovenian women's football league were tested. The isometric strength of the adductors, abductors, and the ratio between hip abductor and adductor strength in two different test positions were assessed. We found statistically significant differences (p < 0.05; effect size range 0.12–0.13) between the two test positions in hip adduction, abduction strength, and abductor/adductor strength ratio. The ROC analysis showed that only the abductor/adductor strength ratio at the 0° hip angle position can differentiate between players with and without a history of groin pain, with an optimal cut-off point of ≤ 1.01 (p < 0.05; AUC = 0.734). The results should help practitioners plan hip strength training for returning to sport or preventing groin pain among women football players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study verified the relationship between internal load (IL) and external load (EL) and their association on injury risk (IR) prediction considering machine learning (ML) approaches. Studies were included if: (1) participants were male professional soccer players; (2) carried out for at least 2 sessions, exercises, or competitions; (3) correlated training load (TL) with non-contact injuries; (4) applied ML approaches to predict TL and non-contact injuries. TL included: IL indicators (Rating of Perceived Exertion, RPE; Session-RPE, Heart Rate, HR) and EL indicators (Global Positioning System, GPS variables); the relationship between EL and IL through index, ratio, formula; ML indicators included performance measures, predictive performance of ML methods, measure of feature importance, relevant predictors, outcome variable, predictor variable, data pre-processing, features selection, ML methods. Twenty-five studies were included. Eleven addressed the relationship between EL and IL. Five used EL/IL indexes. Five studies predicted IL indicators. Three studies investigated the association between EL and IL with IR. One study predicted IR using ML. Significant positive correlations were found between S-RPE and total distance (TD) (r = 0.73; 95% CI (0.64 to 0.82)) as well as between S-RPE and player load (PL) (r = 0.76; 95% CI (0.68 to 0.84)). Association between IL and EL and their relationship with injuries were found. RPE, S-RPE, and HR were associated with different EL indicators. A positive relationship between EL and IL indicators and IR was also observed. Moreover, new indexes or ratios (integrating EL and IL) to improve knowledge regarding TL and fitness status were also applied. ML can predict IL indicators (HR and RPE), and IR. The present systematic review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021245312). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our commentary article continues the discussion recently initiated by Smith et al. on the relationship between gambling and professional football in England. In their vital contribution to Soccer and Society, they argue that a reconsideration of the relationship between football and gambling is required, highlighting the importance of prevention schemes of gambling harms for athletes, and maintaining the integrity of football. We respond by arguing that a reconsideration of the relationship between English football and gambling must go further to reduce the risk of harms to all stakeholders. The expansive, neo-liberal nature of the gambling market has rendered gambling omnipresent within English football, with the volume of gambling-related marketing in the game giving rise to concerns of harms which could be experienced by stakeholders. A full reconsideration of the harmful intersections between football and gambling would involve a significant change in regulation at societal level, thus protecting stakeholders and maintaining integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is a response to a commentary on football violence in Europe and England. The authors criticize the original commentary for lacking methodological rigor and ignoring existing knowledge on football hooliganism. They argue that cultural contexts and the issue of misogyny in English football should be considered. The authors address the conceptualization and scale of football-related violence in England and the effectiveness of measures to prevent it. They challenge claims about the decline of hooliganism in the UK and argue against the notion that all-seater stadiums contribute to safety. The article discusses safe-standing policies and the broader culture of violence associated with football. It emphasizes the importance of cultural differences and diverse perspectives in researching football fandom and calls for a more critical understanding of football violence. [Extracted from the article]

English Football League (EFL) clubs rely on season ticket (ST) sales as an annual revenue source. ST sales during the cost-of-living crisis in 2022 theoretically took on more importance given clubs' rising operating costs. Conversely, supporters may have faced a difficult choice in purchasing or renewing STs. This paper – through a Critical Realist approach – explores how the importance of financial sustainability was represented in the ST marketing deployed by EFL clubs ahead of the 2022/2023 season. The online ST-related promotional material of 71 EFL clubs was thematically analysed. Key themes consisted of economic mitigations, the importance of the supporter base, and the value promised to supporters. Retroduction uncovered a ST sales structure which unifies EFL clubs and supporters, between whom economic, social, and cultural capital are continuously exchanged. These forms of capital generate economic revenue for EFL clubs, and elevation within the supporter habitus for ST holders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early termination of football careers is a challenge for elite women footballers. They quit their careers before experience, competence, and performance are fully developed, and women's football is deprived of the opportunity to develop to the highest optimal quality. Women's elite football is mostly semi-professional, with athletes juggling between football, work, and education. This qualitative study was conducted through semi-structured interviews with Norwegian elite women footballers (N = 7). Findings suggest the main reason for early termination is the heavy workload due to the combination of studies, work, and elite-level football, which led to exhaustion and burnout. It indicates that providing enough time to recover, fewer "to-dos" pushed into the day, and sufficient resources, hinder the harmful effects of a heavy total workload. The aim of the article is to highlight the reasons for the early termination of football careers for elite women footballers in Norway and the challenges of reaching international standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Football migration, including flows and effects, is measured over the first 27 years of the independent Czech Football League. Hierarchical multi-level analysis is used to test previous sport migration effects. Particular attention is paid to the economic and sport position of both sending and receiving nations by examining results through the world-systems theory. Though the number of football migrants continues to rapidly increase, the statistical results of this study indicate that receiving football migrants into the semi-periphery nation of Czech, where football is a primary sport, may increase winning percentage in the short term, but it does not lead to increases in fan attendance or improve the nation's FIFA rankings. Longer term deliberation needs to be taken by individual club teams, as well as national federations, in order maximize the benefits of migration flows in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a holistic compound Poisson regression model framework to forecast number of corner kicks taken in association football. Corner kick taken events are often decisive in the match outcome and inherently arrive in batch with serial clustering pattern. Providing parameter estimates with intuitive interpretation, a class of compound Poisson regression including a Bayesian implementation of geometric-Poisson distribution are introduced. With a varying shape parameter, the corner counts serial correlation between matches is handled naturally within the Bayesian model. In this study, information elicited from cross-market betting odds was used to improve the model predictability. Margin application methods to adjust market inefficiency in raw odds are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischaemic preconditioning (IPC), brief periods of ischaemia immediately followed by reperfusion applied to a vascular bed, has emerged as a method to improve exercise performance. There is, however, a lack of research exploring repeated episodes of IPC on anaerobic performance. The aim of this study was to determine if a 2-week repeated IPC intervention could enhance anaerobic performance in male academy football players. Eight male academy football players completed two, 2-week intervention trials: six IPC episodes (4 × 5 min at 220 mmHg per episode), and six SHAM episodes (4 × 5 min at 20 mmHg per episode). Prior to and following each intervention trial, the participants completed assessments of anaerobic performance (Running Anaerobic Sprint Test [RAST]), and superficial femoral artery endothelial function (flow-mediated dilation [FMD]). IPC significantly enhanced peak and mean power output by 12% (p = 0.026) and 11% (p = 0.019) and significantly improved superficial femoral artery FMD (p = 0.049). The increase in endothelial function suggests that this may be a mechanism contributing to this enhancement of anaerobic performance. The present study supports the use of repeated IPC prior to matches and training sessions to enhance anaerobic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose/rationale: Chinese football governance has dramatically changed during the last decade. Consequently, the organisation of the top-tiered Chinese Super League (CSL) developed from a rigid communist, state-governed model to a commercialised market, though still under governmental influence. Football fans became a key stakeholder group following this organisational change. Therefore, this study examines supporters' attitudes towards the governance of their domestic league. Design/methodology/approach: Active fans of the CSL (N = 453) were surveyed via clustered intercept sampling outside the stadium gates at five matches with ten different teams involved to ensure the reliability, validity and variance of responses. The data were analysed by (ordered) logit regressions with respect to attitudes towards the commercialisation of the CSL with nearly fifty explanatory variables. Findings: A key finding is that supporters tend to appreciate commercialisation as evidence of progress of the Chinese professional football. This attitude can be attributed largely to past governance failures of the CSL and the positive connotation of increased market orientation as a counterbalance to governmental control. Regression analyses, however, reveal the emerging characteristics of the Chinese fan culture and provide evidence of contradictions in the attitude patterns as well as a likely increase in fans' resentment of more commercialisation. Research contribution: The empirical insights into Chinese fan culture extend the understanding of the governance and commercialisation of professional football beyond the more researched European markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of space has been successfully modelled in football using spatiotemporal player data and Voronoi diagrams. Current approaches, however, are narrow in scope by focusing on an inter-team allocation of space to measure space control. The present work extends this widespread perspective with an intra-team application of the Voronoi diagram and its dual Delaunay triangulation to measure space management. Both models are leveraged to derive novel performance metrics, which assess how teams use triangular positioning and how players tie up defenders during attacks. The outcome of N = 128,187 attacking sequences from 306 elite men’s football matches is analysed using linear mixed-effects models to validate the proposed performance metrics. Results show that attacking success is characterized by player positioning which promotes forming of large triangles especially in ball proximity, whereas the overall number of triangles is of no relevance. Furthermore, players tie up more defenders and thus create free teammates more often during successful attacks. The results demonstrate that a new perspective on space is helpful to better quantify and understand the effect of space management and player positioning on attacking performance in football. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored the feasibility of utilizing immediate changes in flight time-based vertical countermovement jump height as an on-field measure for fatigue-induced decrements in performance. Comparing Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) worn at five body locations (feet, shorts for thighs and pelvis, waist strap, and thorax in a standard GPS vest) with a force plate as a reference, we enlisted 19 amateur football players who performed a series of 10 maximal 30 m sprints (initiated every minute). Maximal jumps were executed immediately before and after each sprint, with the latter jumps recorded on a force plate integrated into the field. Bland Altman’s bias (−0.49 cm) and limits of agreement (1.01 cm) were minimal for the feet IMUs. The thorax IMU had the highest bias (−6.35 cm), but the limits of agreement (2.73 cm) were similar to the other locations. Repeated measures correlations (rmcorr) between force plate and IMUs were excellent for the feet (rmcorr = 0.98) and good for the thorax (rmcorr = 0.86) and other locations except for the waist strap. In the fatigued state, within-session coefficients of variation ranged from 4.0% (pelvis in shorts) to 6.5% (waist strap). These findings suggest that body-worn IMUs possess the potential for a prompt and straightforward on-field vertical jump assessment to monitor acute fatigue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article commentary highlights the pattern of findings from various projects conducted in the United Kingdom on football fans and in Australia on football, Australian Rules football, and rugby league fans, regarding the extent of fan racism present in each sport. It is from these projects I argue that toxic Whiteness is present in a White dominant society through a practice that locates the characteristics associated with Whiteness (power, privilege, dominance, supremacy, difference) at the top of the racial hierarchy. Although Whites can consciously or unconsciously express or resist engaging in racist behaviour, I argue that expressions of racism that are meant to cause harm or distress to "Other" individuals or groups are at the core of toxic Whiteness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Relative Age Effect (RAE) suggests older athletes within an annual cohort have advantages over their younger peers. We hypothesized that younger athletes could overcome these disadvantages through favorable α-actinin-3 (ACTN3) and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) polymorphisms. This study aimed to: 1) examine RAE prevalence among Brazilian football players; 2) investigate the distribution of the ACTN3 and ACE polymorphisms; and 3) explore the association between polymorphisms and RAE across competitive levels and positions. The sample included 627 male players from first-division Brazilian teams in four age categories: U15 (n = 172), U17 (n = 166), U20 (n = 161), and Professionals (n = 128). A control group was established using data from the general Brazilian population documented in previous studies Results showed RAE presence across all competitive levels and positions. Players with the ACTN3 R allele, especially the RR genotype, had the strongest associations with football players, particularly among defenders. On the other hand, the distribution of ACE polymorphism was not significantly different between controls and players, except in the U17 category, where the I/I genotype was more common. Relatively older players had higher total genotype scores than younger counterparts in the overall sample and defender subgroups. In conclusion, RAE is prevalent among Brazilian football players, with older athletes benefiting from favorable ACTN3 and ACE polymorphisms, contrary to our initial hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Groin injuries are common in soccer players and often involve adductor muscle strains. The Copenhagen Adduction Exercise (CAE) is a targeted intervention whose effectiveness in rehabilitation for these injuries warrants investigation. Objective: To investigate the impact of a rehabilitation program, which includes the CAE, on eccentric hip adduction (EHAD) strength, hip joint range of motion (ROM), self-reported disability, and pain among soccer players with adductor-related groin pain. It was hypothesized that the addition of CAE to the rehabilitation program would yield greater improvements. Methods: Employing a randomized controlled trial with a two-group parallel design, thirty male soccer players with a mean age of 26.4 ± 3.9 years were randomized into an intervention group (IG) including CAE (n = 15) and a control group (CG) without CAE (n = 15), based on a power analysis to ensure 80% power to detect significant differences. Both groups engaged in their respective rehabilitation programs twice a week for eight weeks. The primary outcome measured was EHAD strength, while secondary outcomes included hip joint ROM, self-reported disability measured by the Copenhagen Hip and Groin Outcome Score (HAGOS), and pain levels. Results: Significant improvements within groups were observed across all measures (p < 0.001). The IG demonstrated a greater increase in EHAD strength (Mean Difference [MD] = 0.49 Nm/kg, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] [0.31, 0.66]), a more pronounced reduction in pain (MD = -1.60, 95% CI [−2.18, −1.02]), and betterment in all HAGOS subscale scores compared to the CG. There were no significant between-group differences in hip joint ROM. Conclusion: Incorporating the CAE into rehabilitation programs significantly improves EHAD strength, decreases pain scores, and reduces self-reported disability in soccer players with adductor-related groin pain. Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05589623 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, tourists have incorporated visiting international football clubs as part of their travel itineraries, including taking behind-the-scenes stadium tours, visiting team museums, and attending matches. This conceptual paper considers the factors leading to football clubs becoming global tourist attractions. In considering the development of these 'Global Touristic Football Clubs' (GTFC), this study offers compelling evidence of how tourism plays a significant role in the global aspirations of football clubs while shedding light on how a club's global tourism status may impact the management of match-day experiences, the design of marketing strategies and hospitality programs, the sustainability of football cultures and traditions, and players' transfer market decisions. Additionally, the study draws attention to the recent influence of geopolitical and economic factors in making clubs with less relevant sporting achievements become tourism magnets and opens up possibilities for replication and adaptation of the concept in other sports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate: a) the differences in external load (EL) during microcycles with four (MIC4) and five training (MIC5) sessions, b) to explore the ratio of weekly training load to the load of the subsequent match, and c) to explore possible correlations between the EL of the MIC4 or MIC5 with the running performance of football players in the following match. The study involved 20 elite youth football players from a team that won the championship in their category that year (age, 16.4 ± 0.3 years). The EL was tracked via GPS in 8 MIC4 and 10 MIC5. Running performance in subsequent matches was also recorded. Two by two ANOVA was employed to compare parameters between MIC5 and MIC4 and Pearson correlation test was applied to examine potential correlations between the training load parameters. The results showed that MIC5 had significantly greater external load in distance parameters in zones 4 & 5, total distance, and decelerations. Differences in running performance in matches were observed only for accelerations (p = .028) and decelerations (p = .02). The ratio of training/match load was lower in all parameters in MIC4 compared to MIC5 but exceeded the match load. Large negative correlations were observed for accelerations and decelerations. In conclusion, additional training in MIC5 increases the load without affecting running performance in the match. Attention should be given to accelerations and decelerations, as their volume can easily increase with the use of small-sided games in training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest in North American soccer is re-emerging following the multiple announcements that major club (e.g., 2025 FIFA Club World Cup) and international tournaments (e.g 2026 FIFA World Cup) will be held on the continent in the coming years. However, there is a dearth of evidence on talent identification and development originating from this part of the world. The top-tier domestic league in the United States and Canada, Major League Soccer, operates as a single-entity business model and its clubs have gradually expanded their organizational structures, assembling youth academies and reserves teams, to help streamline a talent pathway into their first teams. The overall growth in Major League Soccer has ultimately created greater opportunities for homegrown domestic talents in North America, particularly the US. The present commentary highlights the evolution of the talent pathway within Major League Soccer, particularly during the better part of the previous two decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim was to assess concurrent validity and test–retest reliability of spatiotemporal gait parameters from a thoracic-placed inertial measurement unit (IMU) in lab- (Phase One) and field-based (Phase Two) conditions. Spatiotemporal gait parameters were compared (target speeds 3, 5 and 7.5 m·s−1) between a 100 Hz IMU and an optical measurement system (OptoJump Next, 1000 hz) in 14 trained individuals (Phase One). Additionally, 29 English Premier League football players performed weekly 3 × 60 m runs (5 m·s−1; observations = 1227; Phase Two). Mixed effects modelling assessed the effect of speed on agreement between systems (Phase One) and test–retest reliability (Phase Two). IMU step time showed strong agreement (<0.3%) regardless of individual or running speed. Direction of mean biases up to 40 ms for contact and flight time depended on the running speed and individual. Step time, length and frequency were most reliable (coefficient of variation = 1.3-1.4%) but confounded by running speed. Step time, length and frequency derived from a thoracic-placed IMU can be used confidently. Contact time could be used if bias is corrected for each individual. To optimise test–retest reliability, a minimum running distance of 40 m is needed to ensure 10 constant-speed steps is gathered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agility, anthropometrics and maturity-offset have been considered fundamental for talent identification in soccer. The aim of this study is to compare 83 young soccer players (U12) from elite (28) and sub-elite (55) teams, to investigate the influences of anthropometric characteristics and maturation on Change-of-Direction (CoD) with the ball (dribbling) and without the ball. ANCOVA was run to investigate potential differences in Agility T-Test and Shuttle Dribble Test between categories while simultaneously controlling for the effects of anthropometric variables such as Peak Height Velocity (PHV), Weight, and Height. Agility T-Test performance does not significantly differ between the two categories (F-value = 0.537, p > .05). However, the Weight significantly influences the results (F-value = 18.425, p < .001, Eta-Squared = 0.172) and also PHV has a significant impact on them (F-value = 10.099, p < .01, Eta-Squared = 0.094). The Shuttle Dribble Test performance significantly varies between two groups (F-value = 5.207, p < .05, Eta-Squared = 0.057). Only Weight significantly influences this test (F-value = 4.324, p < .05, Eta-Squared = 0.048). Our findings indicate that during the U-12 age period, technical skills emerge as a crucial discriminant factor between elite and sub-elite young soccer players, contrarily to the athletic performance without the ball. In addition, the maturity stage specifically influences the Agility T-Test and Weight is significantly related to lower time to complete both in Agility T-Test and SDT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the in-match fuelling practices of elite football players and compare against current guidelines, we quantified the carbohydrate, fluid, and caffeine intake of players from an English Premier League club (n = 22) during 90 min of competitive match-play. Mean carbohydrate intake across match-play was 17 ± 11 g.h−1 with players demonstrating a preference towards CHO-containing fluids (58%) when compared with semi-solids (38%) and solids (14%), respectively. CHO intake was significantly lower than reported by players (17 ± 11 vs 24.8 ± 11 g.h−1, p < 0.001) during initial consultation. Fluid was ingested at a rate of 0.45 ± 0.14 L.h−1, with 54, 40 and 6% of ingested fluid coming from water, carbohydrate, and electrolyte-only solutions, respectively. The majority of players (91%) met the UEFA guidelines for fluid consumption. Of the players who consumed caffeine across match-play (55%) the average dose was 233 ± 148 mg (2.8 ± 1.1 mg.kg−1 body mass [BM]), which meets the UEFA consensus guidelines for caffeine intake. Caffeine capsules (42%) and caffeine containing fluids (30%) were the preferred format prior to the warm-up whilst caffeine gum was exclusively used prior to kick-off and during the half-time period (100%). We conclude that 81% of the total playing squad failed to meet the current UEFA CHO intake recommendations of 30–60 g.h−1, which may be attributed to the preference towards fluid-based CHOs as the chosen format of delivery. Highlights: Soccer players demonstrate sub-optimal in-match fuelling practices, with 81% of players failing to meet current UEFA CHO intake recommendations of 30-60 g.h−1 Players demonstrate a preference towards fluid as the primary mode of CHO delivery over the use of semi-solid and solid formats. These data highlight the need for future research to test the efficacy of lower doses of CHO on elements of both physical and technical soccer performance in a dose-response manner. Future research is also necessary to investigate the impact of traditional guidelines and recommendations within football-specific contexts to assess their effectiveness and relevance in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hamstring strain injuries (HSI) are one of the most common injuries for soccer players and there is a need for new clinical-based studies on the rehabilitation of these injuries. Objective: This study aimed to create a consensus on physiotherapy and rehabilitation approaches used in HSI by physiotherapists with super league experience in Turkey. Methods: Twenty-six male physiotherapists (duration of experience in professional life, on athlete health, and in the super league: 12.84 ± 6.04 years, 12.19 ± 5.96 years, 8.71 ± 5.31 years, respectively) from different institutions participated in the study. The research was carried out in three rounds using the Delphi method. Results: Data collected using LimeSurvey and Google Forms were analyzed using the Microsoft Excel and SPSS 22 software. The response rates over the three rounds were 100%, 96%, and 96%, respectively. The 10 main items that were agreed upon in Round 1 were divided into 93 sub-items. Their numbers in the second and third Rounds were 60 and 53, respectively. At the end of Round 3, the highest consensus was on eccentric exercise, dynamic stretching, interval running, and movement-enhancing field training. All sub-items at this round were classified as SUPER (S: Soft tissue restoration techniques; U: Using supportive approaches; P: Physical fitness exercises; E: Electro-hydro-thermal methods; and R: Return to sport activities). Conclusion: SUPER rehabilitation provides a new conceptual framework in terms of approaches used by clinicians in rehabilitation for athletes with HSI. Recognizing the lack of evidence for the various approaches involved, clinicians can modify their practice and researchers can explore whether these approaches are scientifically correct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of the study were to build models using logistic regression analysis of flexibility and strength tests to prospectively predict risk factors for anterior cruciate ligament tear (ACL-tear) in female soccer (FS) players, and to determine training cut-off for risk factors of the predictive model built. A prospective cohort study of 95 female players (aged 14–33 years) was conducted. Age, anthropometric data, soccer history, lower limb range of motion (ROM) and hip maximal isometric strength (MIS) were measured. At the prospective follow-up after 12 months, 7.4% of the players had developed an ACL-tear. The model showed a significant relationship (χ2(93) = 30.531, p < 0.001) between the ACL-tear and the predictor variables (leg length, HAD-NH [hip adduction] MIS, asymmetric ROM [ankle dorsiflexion with knee extended (AD-KE) and with knee flexed (AD-KF), and HE (hip extension)], hip ROM [HIR (internal rotation) and HAB (abduction)]). The Akaike Information Criteria (AIC) and Bayesian Information Criteria (BIC) for model fit were 30.24 and 51.79, respectively. The value R2 showed good model fit, 76.5% for Nagelkerke´s R2, 71.4% for McFadden´s R2 and 67.5% for Tjur´s R2. For the screening test, cut-off for leg length of ≥0.40 m, for HIR ROM of ≤44º and for asymmetry of HE ROM of ≥5° were set, which have an acceptable (AUC ≥ 0.755) discriminatory ability for the development of ACL-tear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim was to present a descriptive 10-season summary of injury data from all teams of a professional football club using a heat map approach. Injuries and exposure time were registered according to the FIFA consensus in all men's and women's teams from Athletic Club over 10 seasons. A team-by-injury table was created, showing the incidence, median severity, and burden in each cell. Cells were coloured based on the injury burden value using a green – yellow–red gradient (lowest to highest). The highest overall injury burden was found in the women's 2nd and 1st teams and the men's U(under)17 team (>200 days lost/1000 h). Muscle injury burden demonstrated an increasing pattern with age. Knee joint/ligament injuries, particularly anterior cruciate ligament ruptures, had the highest impact on women's teams, followed by the men's 2nd team. In comparison, ankle joint/ligament injuries had a relatively low injury burden in most teams. Growth-related injuries were the most impactful injuries in the men's U15 and younger teams, and the women's U14 team. In conclusion, epidemiological data on injuries can inform and guide injury management processes. New and improved visualization methods might be important assets when presenting injury data to key decision-makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study is aimed to determine specific bilateral lower extremity motor performances and coordination patterns in soccer players with healthy controls using the bilateral force control paradigm. We hypothesized that soccer players would show more advanced bilateral force control performances than untrained controls. Methods: Participants were 13 university soccer players and 13 healthy controls. Each group performed bilateral ankle dorsiflexion force control tasks across two vision conditions (i.e., vision and no-vision) and two targeted force levels (i.e., 10% and 40% maximum voluntary contraction). We calculated force accuracy, variability, and symmetry to assess force control performances. To estimate bilateral force coordination, we calculated Pearson's correlation coefficients between feet-within a single trial and considered uncontrolled manifold variables across multiple trials. In the no-vision condition, we performed secondary analyses for initial force control patters after removal of visual feedback. Results: There were no significant group differences in bilateral force accuracy and variability but, compared to the control group, soccer players showed higher force symmetry between left and right ankle dorsiflexion forces. For force coordination between feet, soccer players revealed more negative values of the correlation coefficient and greater good variability from the uncontrolled manifold analysis than those for the control group. The secondary analysis revealed no significant group differences in the time until force drift and amount of force adjustments. Conclusions: Soccer players have more compensatory and flexible interlimb force coordination strategies between feet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To understand mean (WCSmean) and peak (WCSpeak) worst case scenarios within training and game play in male professional soccer. Methods: Thirty-one (n = 31) first team players were monitored across 37 matches and 14 MD-3 sessions. Playing status was distinguished, football drills analyzed, and performance explored in long-period: >6 days, moderate-period: 5–6 days, and congested-period: ≤4 days. Relative total distance (TD), high-speed running distance (HSRD, >19.8 km·h−1), sprint distance (SD, >25.2 km·h−1), accelerations/decelerations (A+D, >3 m·s−2), accelerations (Acc, >3 m·s−2), and decelerations (Dec, >−3 m·s−2) were measured as well as Maximum acceleration (Max Acc; m·s−2) and deceleration (Max Dec; m·s−2). Results: Analysis of variance found differences between matches and training in WCSmean for TD, HSRD, SD, and Max Dec in all positions (p <.001; partial η2 >.275). Fullbacks displayed differences between match and training in Max Acc (moderate ESs; p <.001), while center backs and central midfielders in Max Dec (large ESs; p >.05). Main effects of playing status were discovered for all metrics except Max Dec (p <.001; partial η2 >.124). Analysis showed differences between long- and congested-period for A+D and Dec (large ESs; p ≤.05). Conclusions: Findings provide more insights into short peak intensity demands of soccer showing that the maximum high velocity action of acceleration and deceleration is not being replicated in training. Nonstarters lack maximum intensity exposure in matches (WCSpeak) increasing the gap between training and competition even higher during congested fixture periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study confirmed that without crowds there was no home advantage in association football during the COVID-19 2020-21 season. Consequently, we sort to answer the obvious question, 'Are crowds influencing referees' behaviour?' The number of home and away red and yellow cards awarded in the 'no crowd' COVID-19 2020-21 season (all 4 top English divisions) were compared with the home and away cards awarded during the previous 10 'crowd' seasons (2010-11 to 2019-20). Results revealed that there was no home advantage in red and yellow cards awarded by referees in all 4 English leagues/divisions during the COVID-19 2020-21 season. Referees awarded significantly more cards to away players when adjudicating with crowds (seasons 2010-11 to 2019-20). However, in more recent 'crowd' seasons, Premier League referees are less susceptible to such influences with a narrowing of the gap between home and away yellow cards, suggesting that their preparation, management and training provides them with an element of 'crowd immunity'. It would appear that home crowds are able to influence all but the very best referees' behaviour. These new insights provide important information for the training and management of referees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the 2019–20 English football season the Football Association, Heads Together mental health charity, and Public Health England, launched the Heads Up campaign to raise fans' awareness about mental health issues. This research examines the campaign's delivery and implementation of well-being resources and messaging from a fan-perspective within a stadium and the shift into a media-mediated campaign during the pandemic. Our methods included ethnographic observation of the campaign in and around a football stadium, and analyses of the campaign's promotional videos, matchday programmes, TV and radio coverage, and social media posts. Our findings reveal positive aspects of the campaign methods, which included the delivery of a football--oriented and coherent set of accessible resources geared towards normalising mental health conversations. However, there were several missed opportunities in delivery linked to limited control over the deployment of -campaign resources and a lack of future planning to build on the campaigns initial impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the multifaceted dimensions of sport promotion, development, and integrity within the context of men's football in Europe. It specifically focuses on the impact of a newly introduced competition, the UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) Nations League (UNL), on these three dimensions. The study utilises a dataset comprising 1,058 games played over two distinct periods: 503 games from 2014–2016 (pre-UNL) and 555 games from 2018–2021 (UNL era). The primary areas of interest are competitive balance (CB) and competitive intensity (CI), measured at the intra-match (both CB and CI) and post-match (CB only) levels, and fairness. Regressions and statistical tests were conducted to explain the determinants of CB and compare CB and CI between both periods. The analysis reveals that CB deteriorated, primarily attributed to changing incentives for the strongest and weakest teams during Euro qualifying matches. By contrast, CI increased due to the UNL's replacement of most friendly games. While recent literature has raised potential fairness issues due to the establishment of the UNL, findings of this study suggest that the integrity of national men's football team competitions and games in Europe remained intact during this period. This article advances knowledge of CB and CI. Besides, it also provides empirical evidence that the UNL did not compromise the fairness of national men's football team competitions and games in Europe. By bringing CB, CI, and fairness together, this study highlights the crucial role of sports organisations in promoting and developing their sport, while also safeguarding its integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Tomorrow, Thursday, at 3pm, a football match will take place on the Plaine de Plainpalais, between 11 English from Lausanne and Geneva'. This brief notice, published in January 1869 in Le Journal de Genève, may be one of the earliest mentions in the area's press of a new ball game – football. Although the chronology of association football's 'cultural transfer' to Switzerland and the conditions that facilitated the game's introduction to the country are well-documented, the game's adoption by the local population remains under-researched. Based on extensive empirical research combining original archive materials and articles from contemporary generalist and sports newspapers, the present study explored the factors that led young men in Geneva and Lausanne to embrace a foreign game. It also examined two less-well studied aspects of the game's early history in Europe: the difficulty of finding places to play football in urban areas and the profiles of football's first leaders. The results extend previous research on the creation of the first football clubs (association or rugby) outside Great Britain and on the history of associations in Switzerland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since sport officials constitute instrumental groups, their perceptions of, and interactions with, group members likely influence their performance, satisfaction, and retention. This warrants investigation into sport officiating groups. Rationale/Purpose: (1) Examine the relationship between sport officials' cohesion, satisfaction, and performance; (2) Investigate sport officials' perceptions of cohesion across sports; and (3) Explore sport officials' perceptions of group processes. Design/Methodology/Approach: Using a cross-sectional design, participants (N = 228) completed a survey measuring perceptions of cohesion, performance, and satisfaction. Findings: Responses demonstrated consistent positive relationships between cohesion, performance, and satisfaction. Path analysis found that task cohesion predicted performance and satisfaction. Participants rated task cohesion higher than social cohesion, with American football highest and Association football lowest. Practical implications: Officiating organizations can use these results to reconsider assigning practices and develop strategies that improve cohesion, leading to increased performance and retention. Research contribution: Results highlight the need for sustained research to further understand how group processes influence sport officials and their performances. This study is novel as there is a dearth of research on how group dynamics influence sport officials' performances and retention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale/Purpose: Charitable foundations constitute the prime mechanism for the implementation of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in sport. The relationship between the charitable foundation and the founding professional team sport organization (PTSO) is unique. Although extant research has shown that trust can be an instrumental predictor of organizational performance, we know little of the role of its main component, namely trustworthiness, in the context of CSR implementation through charitable foundations. Design/Methodology/Approach: Drawing on the UK's football setting, an online survey (n = 124) was used to measure (through CFA and SEM and SPSS AMOS 21) the perceived trustworthiness of charitable foundation employees by their counterparts in PTSOs, and their perceived contribution to the PTSO's performance. Findings: Findings reveal PTSO's employees perceive their counterparts in the foundations as being trustworthy and that their CSR activities contribute to the PTSO's performance. Trustworthiness is a key predictor of the perception that the implementation of CSR-related initiatives through foundations contribute to the perceived performance of the PTSO. Practical implications: Managers should facilitate trustworthy behavior between PTSOs' employees and their counterparts in the foundations. The competence and predictability of employees of the foundation should be enhanced. Research contribution: This study demonstrates the importance of trustworthiness between employees from organizational entities driven by different goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many professional football clubs in Europe have youth academies. The business model of such academies is that a club invests resources in training a player and then, when the player is old enough to sign an adult contract, either sells the player or offers him an adult contract. According to Fédération Internationale De Football Association (FIFA), international transfers of players are only permitted if the player is over the age of 18. There are five exceptions to this rule. One of them is that if the player is between 16 and 18 and the transfer takes place within the territory of the European Economic Area (EEA), then an international transfer is allowed. This article is a discussion of the FIFA rules that mandate non-uniform age limits for when players can first transfer to clubs within the EEA area. The conclusion of the article is that FIFA is morally unjustified in setting a higher minimum age for transfer to EEA clubs for non-EEA players than for EEA players. The article first develops an argument for its conclusion. It then discusses, and rejects, the five best objections to this argument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coaching in Scandinavia is characterized by tensions between voluntary ideals and increased demands for professionalization. This paper examines the origins and content of such demands, how voluntary run and governed football clubs translate them into practices, and the impact of professionalization on the coach role. Within an organizational perspective, our analysis is framed by institutional theory and a translation perspective and draw on data from interviews with representatives of Norwegian football clubs. The results show how demands for professionalization are translated into (new) practices in football clubs and lead to (more) professionalization of the coach role. In a 'top-down' trajectory, professionalization is characterized by bureaucratization driven by a need to satisfy the Norwegian Football Federation and Norwegian Elite Football. In a 'bottom-up' trajectory, professionalization is characterized by individualization driven by pressures from members to tailor-make the club's service offer. In a 'trickle-sideways' trajectory, professionalization is characterized by marketization driven by the establishment of private football academies that exert pressure on football clubs to adapt to a more customer-oriented membership base. In conclusion, this examination highlights the multidimensional character of the professionalization of the coach role and emphasizes the need for further research on the broader ramifications of professionalization in contexts characterized by voluntary ideals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this network meta-analysis were: (a) to estimate and compare the pooled effects of some injury prevention programs (IPPs) whose exercise-based components were categorized using a movement pattern-specific taxonomy on reducing overall and some specific body regions (lower extremity, thigh, knee, and ankle) injury incidences in youth team sport athletes and (b) to explore the individual effects of these components on the injury incidence rates (IIRs) previously mentioned. Searches were performed in PubMed, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, and Cochrane Library. Eligible criteria were: exercise-based interventions comprised of exercises involving athletic motor skill competencies and evaluated against a control group, overall IIRs were reported, and youth (≤19 years old) team sport players. For the current analysis, a taxonomy based on movement patterns was employed for exercise component identification (upper body pushing and pulling; lower body concentric and eccentric; core; mechanics; acceleration; and lower body stability). Pooled effects were calculated by frequentist random effects pairwise and network meta-analyses. Nineteen studies were included. Most of the IPPs exhibit risk reduction when compared to their control groups on overall, lower extremity, and ankle injuries. Interventions comprised of lower body concentric and eccentric, core, mechanics, and lower body stability exercises were the most effective measures for reducing these injuries. None of the IPPs demonstrated to be effective for reducing thigh injuries, and contradictory results were found for knee injuries. Individual analysis at component level revealed that the lower body (bilateral and unilateral, concentric, and eccentric) component was the only one associated with a significant reduction on overall injuries. Indirect evidence suggests that interventions incorporating lower body concentric and eccentric, core, mechanics, and lower body stability exercises might be the most effective for reducing overall, lower extremity, and ankle injuries in youth team sports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We adapted the percentage intensity approach to monitor accelerations and decelerations allowing players’ individualisation. Forty-two players were monitored during four microcycles via global navigation satellite system devices. Raw velocity and time data were collected to calculate acceleration and deceleration magnitudes according to specific starting speed intervals, and the efforts intensities were established as very low (<25% of the maximal effort), low (25–50%), moderate (50–75%) and high (>75%). Linear regressions and Pearson correlation (r) analysed the relationship between maximal efforts and starting speeds; additionally, mean paired differences compared efforts magnitudes between subsequent starting speed intervals. Most very low intensity accelerations (86%) and decelerations (79%) started from <5 km.h−1. Correlation between maximal efforts and starting speeds were r = −0.97 (p < .001) for acceleration, and r = −0.94 (p < .01) for deceleration. Maximal acceleration decreased as starting speed increases (very large effect sizes), but deceleration is less starting speed dependent (unclear to large effect sizes). This adaptation allows practitioners to individualise accelerations and decelerations classification during real-life scenarios, leading to a more precise training prescription. The very low intensity interval could be excluded to consider only relevant efforts. Maximal acceleration should be collected for each starting speed interval because accelerations are starting speed dependents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hamstring strain injuries (HSIs) remain a burden with high prevalence rates. The Nordic Hamstring exercise (NHE) has been found to be effective in preventing HSIs. However, the preventive mechanisms are not fully understood. Changes in stiffness are postulated as a possible protective mechanism. Surprisingly, the effect of the NHE on the stiffness of different hamstring muscles has never been investigated before. Therefore, the aim of this Randomised controlled trial was to investigate the impact of a 10-week NHE programme on the eccentric strength and the shear wave velocity (proxy of stiffness) of the hamstrings. Thirty-six soccer players were randomly assigned to either the control or the experimental group. The experimental protocol consisted of the incorporation of a 10-week NHE programme within the normal training routine. The hamstring stiffness and eccentric strength were assessed before and after. Within-group analyses showed a significant increase in strength, only for the experimental group. However, no significant effect of the NHE was found on the stiffness of each hamstring muscle. A 10-week NHE programme does not affect hamstring stiffness, despite an increase in eccentric strength, indicating that the preventive mechanism of the NHE is probably not (co-)explained by alterations in hamstring muscle stiffness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate i) if a recreational futsal (RF) training session elicits post-exercise hypotension (PEH), ii) the impact of a 3-month RF intervention on PEH, and iii) the association between PEH in the early phase of the intervention with resting blood pressure (BP) chronic adaptions in men with treated hypertension. BP was measured before and after a RF training session every 5-min (total of 30-min) in the early (weeks 1–2) and the final phases (weeks 11–12) of a 3-month RF intervention, comprising 3 weekly one-hour sessions. Thirty-three men (48 ± 7 years; mean arterial pressure [MAP]: 96 ± 8 mmHg; BMI: 32.2 ± 4.9 kg/m2) participated. In the intervention early phase, systolic BP ([SBP]; −15.4 mmHg; 95% CI: −10.9, −16.8), diastolic BP ([DBP]; −5.4 mmHg; 95% CI: −7.8, −3.0), and MAP (−8.8 mmHg; 95% CI: −11.2, −6.4) significantly decreased 30-min post- compared to pre-training session (n = 33). In the intervention final phase (n = 24), SBP (−8.1 mmHg; 95% CI: −12.0, −3.9) and MAP (−3.0 mmHg; 95% CI: −5.4, −0.7) significantly decreased 30-min post- compared to pre-training session, but not DBP (−0.5 mmHg; 95% CI: −3.7, 2.7). PEH in the final phase was significantly inferior compared to the early phase. PEH in the early phase of the intervention was not consistently associated with chronic BP changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microcycles are fundamental structures for training prescription and load management, helping to optimise training effects and performance. This study quantified external and internal loads of Italian Serie A youth soccer players across competitive weeks and their periodisation within microcycles. Data were collected from 90 players belonging to four age groups (under-19, -17, -16, -15) across a season. Methods of monitoring external [duration and global navigation satellite systems (GNSS)] and internal load [heart rate (HR) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE)] were employed. Linear mixed models determined differences in training loads across age groups, training days and player positions. Under-19 and under-17 players trained five times per week, while younger players trained four times. Late-stage academy players (under-19 and -17) demonstrated higher weekly accumulated external and sRPE training load compared to their younger counterparts (p < 0.05 between groups). Weekly accumulated HR internal loads were higher in under-15 players (p < 0.05 between groups). Marked fluctuations of daily load were observed across microcycles in under-19 and under-17 groups (p < 0.05 between days). These findings highlight progressive increases in training load throughout the development pathway, with late-stage academy players training with higher frequency, volume and marked periodisation compared to younger players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates alcohol consumption within cultures of football fandom through the innovative combination of theories of the carnivalesque and Bourdieu's concepts of habitus, field, and capital. Focus groups (n = 79) were conducted with football supporters in England and Scotland. Semi-structured interviews (n = 15) were also conducted with key organizational stakeholders. Research explored the importance and role of alcohol consumption for supporters when watching or attending matches.. Participants confirmed the cultural significance, perceived normalcy and historical links between football and alcohol consumption. Supporters highlighted the importance of the sociability, friendship, and social capital aspects of alcohol consumption. Participants believed football supporters are perceived differently in comparison with supporters of other sports, arguing that legislation surrounding alcohol consumption at other sports allowed supporters to enhance the carnivalesque by drinking alcohol, whereas football fans were more restricted. Participants agreed the habitus of excessive drinking and violence associated with football supporters led to a bad reputation, however, this view was outdated. Participants also recognized a growing drug culture in football. The findings draw attention to the alcohol-sport relationship and the contested relations, and diverging interests and influences, within the social field of football. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractFrom a resonant and highly mythologized symbol of an imagined national coherence in the 1950s, today the iconic yellow Brazilian football (soccer) shirt–the amarelinha–is an emotive site for political contestation and struggle between the forces of the Brazilian right and left. Within a contemporary Brazilian conjuncture fraught by conjoined political, economic, and cultural schisms, the shirt has become what Stuart Hall (p. 354) referred to as a “constant battlefield” upon which warring national political ideologies and imaginaries have fought for ascendancy. In contextually mapping the shifting and increasingly contentious relationship between the amarelinha and the Brazilian national imaginary, we utilize a critical conjuncturalism in critically explicating three indicative moments: 1) the shirt’s historical articulation, and initial relative stasis, as a symbol of a modern Brazilian national unity, pride, and optimism in the period from the 1950s to 2010s; 2) the disarticulation and hijacking of the shirt by an emergent right-wing populist movement during the mid-2010s, vanguarded by future President Jair Bolsonaro, and visibly supported by many popular athletes (i.e. Neymar, Nelson Piquet); and 3) the subsequent rearticulation of the shirt, and indeed the national political imaginary, by the countervailing forces of the Brazilian political left including leading journalists and athletes (i.e. Richarlison, Walter Casagrande). As such, our aim is to contextually examine how the shirt has, in a dialectical sense, become both a product and producer of the ideological and affective schisms responsible for the fraying (yet also potentially rebuilding) of Brazilian national identity and society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gambling marketing is ubiquitous in UK football and, despite gambling industry self-regulation such as the whistle-to-whistle ban, remains prominent in live TV coverage. Major international tournaments do not usually feature gambling pitch-side advertising and shirt sponsorship, increasing the importance of TV adverts during these high-profile competitions. The present study examined the prevalence and features of gambling adverts shown during the commercial broadcaster ITV's live coverage of games in the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Each match shown live on ITV was recorded. For each gambling advert, the timing of the advert (pre-/during-/post-match), the advert category (financial inducements/live odds/safer gambling/brand awareness) and safer gambling messaging were recorded. Over the 30 matches analyzed, there were 156 adverts directly for gambling brands or products (M = 5.2, range 3 – 8), featuring adverts from eight different operators. The majority of adverts were shown pre-match (80.8%). Financial inducements were most commonly advertised (42.3%), followed by brand awareness adverts (26.9%). The safer gambling message 'take time to think' was shown in 70.5% of adverts. Adverts for lottery products did not feature any safer gambling messages. Multiple gambling adverts were shown during each match of the 2022 Qatar World Cup, especially so pre-match. Pre-match adverts predominantly encourage viewers to gamble promptly, through financial inducements and boosted live odds. Any potential further legislation could therefore consider either further restrictions based on the entire broadcast, or by enforcing the use of specific safer gambling messages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Finite element (FE) modeling provides a means to examine how global kinematics of repetitive head loading in sports influences tissue level injury metrics. FE simulations of controlled soccer headers in two directions were completed using a human head FE model to estimate biomechanical loading on the brain by direction. Overall, headers were associated with 95th percentile peak maximum principal strains up to 0.07 and von Mises stresses up to 1450 Pa, and oblique headers trended toward higher values than frontal headers but below typical injury levels. These quantitative data provide insight into repetitive loading effects on the brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to explore the ultras phenomenon in the Kolkata maidan as a mediatized spectacle in the context of sports fandom in 21st-century India. In contrast to the typical portrayal of football ultras as violent groups of conservatives in the global paradigm, this paper examines the Kolkata ultras as a distinct community formed by specific fan groups of two prominent football clubs—Mohun Bagan and East Bengal. Exploring the complex configurations of sports fandom and ultras activities, this paper considers the Kolkata football ultras as a pastiche of their European counterparts. Through their gallery activities, including the display of tifos, the Kolkata ultras attempt to narrativize the settlers-migrant conflict between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal in a neoliberal economy. While turning the identarian discourse on a visual level, the paper also analyses how the display foregrounds a change in the politics of sports fandom in India through their anti-NRC-CAA tifos in recent times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth soccer participation, particularly among females, continues to grow worldwide. With the high incidence of sport-related concussion (SRC) in soccer, it is important to investigate if SRC occurs disproportionally by positions. Our hypothesis was to see no positional differences in SRCs, SRC-related characteristics, and outcomes among in female youth soccer athletes. Data were prospectively collected from participants at a single sports medicine institution between August 2015-April 2021. Female participants aged 8–18 diagnosed with SRC sustained during an organized soccer practice, scrimmage, or game were separated into 4 groups based on position: Forward, Midfielder, Defender, and Goalkeeper. Demographics, medical history, injury-related details, and outcomes were reviewed. A chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was used for categorical variables. Continuous variables were compared with Mann-Whitney or Kruskal-Wallis test. Two hundred fourteen participants were included: 52 Forwards, 65 Midfielders, 63 Defenders, and 34 Goalkeepers. There were no significant differences between the groups in age, race, ethnicity, or previous concussion history. Differences in mechanism existed with Goalkeepers most commonly reporting Head to Body Part. Goalkeepers, which make up 1/11 of the total positions on the field, had a significantly higher proportion of SRCs compared to Field Positions. (9.1% vs 15.9%) At 3-month post-enrollment, there were no significant differences in reported symptoms or return-to-play between the different positions. In youth female soccer players, goalkeepers sustained a higher proportion of sport-related concussions compared to field players based upon the composition of a soccer team. The mechanism of injury also differed among the different soccer positions. However, no differences in concussion characteristics, outcomes, or RTP were seen across the different soccer positions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This retrospective cohort study aims to examine concussion incidence rates (IR) in collegiate soccer players and compare IRs based on risk factors including sex, competition level, games/practices, history of concussion, and playing position. Collegiate soccer players were recruited (n = 2,471) from 23 institutions from the NCAA-DoD Concussion Assessment, Research, and Education (CARE) Consortium. Incidence rates for concussion per 1000 athlete exposures (AEs) were calculated across the 2015–16/2016–17 seasons. Incidence rates (IR) comparing risk factor groups were also calculated. A total of 162 concussions occurred during the study, for an IR of 0.08/1000 AEs. Females were more likely to have a concussion than males overall (IR = 1.47) and were more likely to have a concussion in games (IR = 1.42) and practices (IR = 2.91). Concussions were more likely during competition compared to practice (IR = 2.53), and less likely in Division III, compared to Divisions I and II, χ2 = 6.5, p >.05. In the concussed group, male sex was associated with 2.47 times higher odds of playing defender and 2.29 times higher odds of a collision mechanism. Results confirm previous findings that females and game exposures have higher concussion IR than males and practice exposures. Findings also supported sex differences in IRs based on exposure type, position, and mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single leg drop jump (SLDJ) assessment is commonly used during the later stages of rehabilitation to identify residual deficits in reactive strength but the effects of physical capacity on kinetic and kinematic variables in male soccer players following ACL reconstruction remain unknown. Isokinetic knee extension strength, kinematics from an inertial measurement unit 3D system and SLDJ performance variables and mechanics derived from a force plate were measured in 64 professional soccer players (24.7 ± 3.4 years) prior to return to sport (RTS). SLDJ between-limb differences was measured (part 1) and players were divided into tertiles based on isokinetic knee extension strength (weak, moderate and strong) and reactive strength index (RSI) (low, medium and high) (part 2). Moderate to large significant differences between the ACL reconstructed and uninjured limb in SLDJ performance (d = 0.92–1.05), kinetic (d = 0.62–0.71) and kinematic variables (d = 0.56) were evident. Stronger athletes jumped higher (p = 0.002; d = 0.85), produced greater concentric (p = 0.001; d = 0.85) and eccentric power (p = 0.002; d = 0.84). Similar findings were present for RSI, but the effects were larger (d = 1.52–3.84). Weaker players, and in particular those who had lower RSI, displayed landing mechanics indicative of a 'stiff' knee movement strategy. SLDJ performance, kinetic and kinematic differences were identified between-limbs in soccer players at the end of their rehabilitation following ACL reconstruction. Players with lower knee extension strength and RSI displayed reduced performance and kinetic strategies associated with increased injury risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite emerging research questioning the long-term effect of purposeful heading on players' brain health, heading-related perspectives and behaviours of stakeholders in amateur football in Australia (a country without heading guidelines) remain unknown. This study aimed to explore the current heading-related perspectives and behaviours of football stakeholders. In total, 290 players (aged over 11 years), 54 coaches, 34 non-coaching staff and 14 medical staff completed the survey. Of the 290 players, 56.5% reported being formally trained in heading, with female players less likely to be trained than male players (p < 0.05). Players were the least concerned about the long-term effects of heading, while medical staff were the most concerned (33.1% and 57.1%, respectively). From proposed strategies to reduce heading burden, a heading ban for all ages was least popular (2.3%), while teaching heading technique was most popular (67.3%). Our study provides insights into football stakeholders' heading-related perspectives, which could be used, along with scientific evidence, to inform pragmatic future heading guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the mid-1990s, a hermeneutic struggle has unfolded within English football between those spectators who wish to stand at matches, and the 'risks' associated with this practice. Here, the authorities have sought to constrain this form of leisure through an anti-democratic, authoritarian regime of discipline and control. By designating the ritual of standing as 'a right to leisure', however, this article draws upon radical democratic theory to re-imagine this practice as a contested activity; one which has the potential to challenge the neoliberal basis of football spectatorship itself and restore the collectivism that was a much-loved feature of the terraced community. By restating the social value of free-standing terraces, and the potentialities that standing itself offers for political emancipation, we argue that this ritual might itself become a rights-based resource of radical democracy for spectators to engage in an altogether more participatory form of leisure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital disruption is heavily impacting incumbent sports media business models. While major sports seem to cope with digital disruption, the challenges appear much bigger for minor sports. Therefore, the contribution focuses on the efforts of smaller European football leagues to adapt their business models. Two research questions follow: RQ1: What are the most important challenges to the BMs of smaller football leagues? RQ2: Which approaches to adapt BMs are explored by the smaller leagues examined? A comparative case study was conducted. The sample consisted of eight European smaller football leagues, which are characterized by substantial diversity in terms of population size, wealth and sporting quality. The empirical material consists of document analyses and expert interviews with league managers exploring broadcasting rights, revenues, the competition within the media environment and future broadcasting strategies. Aggressive global competition and changing media consumption patterns and behaviors challenges the incumbent business models. The leagues are actively exploring new business models, although these efforts are rather conservative. Most successful is the collective marketing of overseas rights and the selling of betting rights. The leagues struggle to capture value from datafication and new media outlets. The leagues face a complex challenge to increase local interest to combat interest from globally dominant leagues. They have to develop a 'digital mindset' and to balance value creation and capture. The hybrid strategy using traditional distribution channels as 'backbone' while exploring new BMs should occur. They should consider intensifying collective marketing efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]