Biology of Sport
eISSN: 2083-1862
ISSN: 0860-021X
Biology of Sport
Current Issue Manuscripts accepted About the journal Editorial board Abstracting and indexing Archive Ethical standards and procedures Contact Instructions for authors Journal's Reviewers Special Information
Editorial System
Submit your Manuscript
SCImago Journal & Country Rank
Search
Editorial Policies
Sarajevo Declaration on Integrity and Visibility of Scholarly Publications

Open access

without publication fees
4/2025
vol. 42
 
Share:
Send email
Share:
abstract:
Original paper

Locomotor characteristics of intense accelerations according to the playing position in top Spanish football teams during competition

Joaquín González-Rodenas
1
,
Víctor Moreno-Pérez
2
,
Adrián Castaño-Zambudio
1
,
Roberto López-Del Campo
3
,
Fabio Nevado
1
,
Juan Del Coso
1

  1. Sport Sciences Research Centre, Rey Juan Carlos University, Fuenlabrada, Spain
  2. Sports Research Center, Miguel Hernandez University of Elche, Alicante, Spain
  3. Department of competitions and Mediacoach, LaLiga, Madrid, Spain
Biol Sport. 2025;42(4):299–310
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/biolsport.2025.151652
Online publish date: 2025/06/24
View full text Get citation
 
PlumX metrics:
This study aimed to characterise the locomotor characteristics of intense relative accelerations (> 50% of maximal acceleration-speed profile) according to playing positions in top-ranked Spanish football teams. A total of 271,535 accelerations performed by 102 football players of the top four teams during the 2023–2024 LaLiga season were registered by a multiple-camera computerised tracking system (TRACAB; ChyronHego, USA). A generalized linear mixed model compared the acceleration characteristics (number, distance, duration, intensity and speed) across playing positions (central defender: CD, full back: FB, central midfielder: CM, attacking midfielder: AM, winger: W and forward: FW) considering the effect of contextual variables. CD exhibited less intense accelerations per minute than the rest of the playing positions (p < 0.05). W exhibited the greatest distance per acceleration (estimated mean (EM) = 9.08 m), longest duration (EM = 2.18 s), highest peak speed (EM = 19.5 km·h−1), and highest speed at maximum acceleration (EM = 12.8 km·h−1) (p < 0.05). FW exhibited the highest peak acceleration per action (EM = 3.14 m·s−2) and average acceleration per action (EM = 1.76 m·s−2) (p < 0.05). AM and CM registered higher initial speed (p < 0.05) and exhibited the lowest values for peak acceleration per action (p < 0.05), compared to the other playing positions. In contrast, CD and CM showed the shortest distances and slowest speeds (p < 0.05). In conclusion, W and FW exhibited higher acceleration intensity than the rest of the playing positions, while CD and CM obtained the lowest values for distance, duration, and speed.
keywords:

Physical demands, Soccer, Activity profile, High-intensity actions, Positional roles

  
Termedia
About us Contact
Copyright notice Privacy policy Advertising policy Contact us
Quick links
Journals Books eBooks Events
© 2025 Termedia Sp. z o.o.
Developed by Bentus.