As previous literature updates, I have performed a PubCrawler search looking for football articles in NCBI Medline (PubMed) and GenBank databases.

Following studies were retrieved for this week:

1 Impact of COVID-19 on football attacking players‘ match technical performance: a longitudinal study

Reference: Sci Rep. 2024 Mar 13;14(1):6057. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-56678-y.
Authors: Le Luo, Ge Sun, Enkai Guo, Hanbing Xu, Zhaohong Wang
Download link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10937722/pdf/41598_2024_Article_56678.pdf
Summary: This study examined the impact of COVID-19 on 28 indicators of match technical performance (MTP) for football attacking players upon their return to play. Analyzing data from 100 players in the Big Five European football leagues, covering 1500 matches each before and after COVID-19 over 3 years (2020-2023), revealed significant differences in 76% of players‘ MTP indicators. Notably, 14 indicators, particularly the five indicators linked to scoring, significantly decreased post-COVID-19. On average, players needed 3.09 matches to regain pre-infection MTP levels. The impact varied across player groups, with those in the elite group showing a milder effect; they required an average of 2.64 matches for recovery, compared to the control group’s 3.55 matches. We found that, with increasing age, the majority of players‘ MTP indicators did not exhibit significant changes, both before and after they contracted COVID-19. In conclusion, the study highlighted the negative impact of COVID-19 on football attacking players‘ MTP. Players in the elite group experienced fewer adverse effects than those in the control group. This insight assisted coaches and managers in evaluating the impact of COVID-19 and similar virus-induced illnesses on players‘ MTP, enabling them to formulate training regimens for recovery and specific match tactics upon players‘ return to play.

2 Energy expenditure and dietary intake in professional female football players in the Dutch Women’s League: Implications for nutritional counselling

Reference: J Sports Sci. 2024 Mar 13:1-10. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2024.2329850. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Naomi Brinkmans, Guy Plasqui, Luc van Loon, Jan-Willem van Dijk
Summary: In contrast to male football players, research on the nutritional requirements of female football players is limited. This study aimed to assess total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) in professional female football players, along with body composition, physical activity and dietary intake. This observational study included 15 professional football players playing in the highest Dutch Women’s League. TDEE was assessed by doubly labelled water over 14 days, along with resting metabolic rate (RMR; ventilated hood), fat-free mass (FFM; dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry), and dietary intake (24-h recalls). Physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) was derived from subtracting RMR and estimated diet-induced thermogenesis (10%) from TDEE. TDEE was 2882 ± 278 kcal/day (58 ± 5 kcal/kg FFM) and significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with FFM (r = 0.62). PAEE was 1207 ± 213 kcal/d. Weighted energy intake was 2344 kcal [2023-2589]. Carbohydrate intakes were 3.2 ± 0.7, 4.4 ± 1.1 and 5.3 ± 1.9 g/kg body mass for rest, training and match days, respectively, while weighted mean protein intake was 1.9 ± 0.4 g/kg body mass. In conclusion, the energy requirements of professional female football players are moderate to high and can be explained by the substantial PAEE. To fuel these requirements, sports nutritionists should consider shifting the players‘ focus towards prioritizing adequate carbohydrate intakes, rather than emphasizing high protein consumption.

3 SAQ training on sprint, change-of-direction speed, and agility in U-20 female football players

Reference: PLoS One. 2024 Mar 13;19(3):e0299204. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299204. eCollection 2024.
Authors: Young-Soo Lee, Dayoung Lee, Na Young Ahn
Download link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10936847/pdf/pone.0299204.pdf
Summary: The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of an 8-week speed, agility, and quickness (SAQ) training on performance changes in linear sprint speed, change-of-direction (COD) speed, and reactive agility of U-20 female football players. Nineteen female football players randomly served as either experimental (n = 9) or control groups (n = 10). The players were tested for physical fitness tests: linear sprint speed including both short and long distances (5- and 10-m sprints without a ball and 20- and 30-m sprints with and without dribbling), COD speed (arrowhead agility test with and without dribbling a ball, Southeast Missouri [SEMO] agility test, and 22-m repeated slalom dribbling test), and reactive agility. Significant group × time interactions were observed for sprint over long distances and COD speed but not for short sprint and reactive agility performances. Paired t-tests revealed considerable improvements in all performances from the pre-test to post-test for the SAQ group, except for the arrowhead agility (left; p = .07). The control group only exhibited significant improvements in 10-m sprint performance after general football training. Eight weeks of SAQ training were effective at enhancing acceleration, maximum sprint speed, and agility performances amongst highly trained U-20 female football players.

4 Effect of 12-week SPARQ training on the ability of youth football players

Reference: Sportverletz Sportschaden. 2024 Mar 12. doi: 10.1055/a-2250-6941. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Yuhang Zhou, Feng Tai, Shibo Yu
Summary: The aim was to evaluate the effect of a 12-week physical training regime comprising five components – speed, power, agility, reaction, quickness – on young football players‘ performance in terms of their capacity to move quickly in different phases. The football players were randomly divided into an experimental group (n = 12) and a control group (n = 12). The rapid change of direction mobility was systematically investigated by using outdoor tests, the Illinois 505 Agility Test, the Square Pace Test, the Nebraska Agility Test, and the T-Shape Agility Test. With the intervention of training, considerable improvements were detected in all indicators, with the SPARQ training approach outperforming. The combined results indicate that SPARQ training can deliver favourable efficiency in terms of enhancing the agility of young football players.

5 Exploring the quadriceps muscle architecture variations in various sports disciplines: a comparative analysis of football, taekwondo, and athletics

Reference: J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2024 Mar 12. doi: 10.23736/S0022-4707.24.15382-0. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Rukiye Çiftçi, Ahmet Kurtoğlu, Bekir Çar, Erdal Karavaş, Özgür Eken, Mehmet Söyler, Luca P Ardigò, Hadi Nobari
Summary: The purpose of this study was to comprehensively investigate and compare the architecture of the quadriceps muscle in football, taekwondo, and athletics, shedding light on potential differences and providing valuable insights for athletic training and performance enhancement. Thirty-five athletes (football[N.]=14. [7 women, 7 men]; taekwondo [N.]=11. [6 women, 5 men]; athletics [N.]=10. [5 women, 5 men]) aged 17-21 years participated in the study. After participant demographic data were collected, 2D real-time B-mode ultrasound (USG) and right (R) and left (L) leg quadriceps muscle group rectus femoris (RF), vastus intermedius (VI), vastus lateralis, pennation angle (PA), RF cross-sectional area (CSA), and subcutaneous fat thickness were determined. In the study, in female athletes, R-RF+VI (P=0.04, ES:4.34), R-VI (P=0.01, ES: 6.1), R-RF: (P=0.009, ES: 7.9), R-CSA (P=0.04, ES: 5.2), L-RF (P=0.002, ES: 10.4) and L-CSA (P=0.007, ES: 7.7) significant differences were found in favor of the Football group. In male athletes, R-CSA (P=0.004, ES: 9.05), L-RF (P=0.05, ES: 3.5) and L-SFT (P=0.00, ES: 13.6), there was a significant difference in favor of the Football group. L-PA (P=0.009, ES: 6.2). L-PA (P=0.009, ES: 6.2) was significantly higher in the male Taekwondo group. Our research findings show that there is a significant relationship between the type of exercise performed and the structural differences observed in the quadriceps muscle. Consequently, it is highly recommended to consider the outcomes of our study for enhancing the efficacy of training programs in the domains of football, taekwondo, and athletics.

6 Workload management strategies in football: A global survey project

Reference: Tunis Med. 2023 Nov 5;101(11):795-799.
Authors: Mohamed Saifedine Fessi, Helmi Ben Saad, Rafael Franco Soares Oliveira, Jad Adrian Washif, Karim Chamari, Wassim Moalla
Summary: This research design protocol outlines the methodology for a thorough evaluation of workload monitoring and management strategies in football. The study involves conducting a global survey to fitness coaches, sports scientists, analysts, and physicians with experience in load monitoring within football. The research adheres to the principles of the Helsinki Declaration and complies with General Data Protection Regulation standards, with ethical approvals obtained from multiple Ethics Committees across various countries, including Tunisia. A consortium of professionals collaboratively crafted the survey instrument, dividing it into seven sections, each addressing specific aspects of workload monitoring in football. Survey reliability will undergo evaluation in a pilot study utilizing Cronbach’s alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient. To ensure inclusivity, the survey will be translated into multiple languages, facilitating participation from diverse regions. As such, survey distribution will consider online platforms (such as social media) and email invitations, with a specific focus on engaging football clubs, federations, and professional networks. The targeted sample size will remain at 385 participants. Statistical analysis planning encompasses descriptive examination, exploration of variable relationships, hypothesis testing, and qualitative analyses of participant feedback and recommendations regarding load monitoring practices. Expected outcomes include i) A comprehensive global overview of training and match load monitoring practices in football, ii) The identification of emerging trends, an improved understanding of training optimization processes, and iii) The development of practical recommendations to enhance player well-being and performance. This study will contribute to the ongoing development of knowledge in the field of football workload monitoring.

7 Analyzing ECG signals in professional football players using machine learning techniques

Reference: Heliyon. 2024 Feb 27;10(5):e26789. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26789. eCollection 2024 Mar 15.
Authors: A A Munoz-Macho, M J Dominguez-Morales, J L Sevillano-Ramos
Download link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10920169/pdf/main.pdf
Summary: Football player’s health is important, and preventing sudden cardiac arrest may be a critical issue. Professional football players have different ECG signals than the average population, yet there are considerable gaps in study whereas the general population has been extensively studied. There were multiple objectives such as to enerate a reference and innovative resting 12-lead ECG database from 54 UEFA PRO level male football players from La Liga. This is a novel approach to cope the ECG and possible arrythmias in athletes. Secondly, to manage each XML athlete ECG data and develop a free-use program to visualize, denoise and filter the signal with the capacity to automate the labelling of the waves and save the reports. Lastly, to study the ECG wave shape and generate models through ML to analyse its utility to automate basic diagnosis. The dataset collection is based on a prospective observational cohort and includes 10 s, 12-lead ECGs and rhythm and condition labels for each athlete. Physiological sport arrhythmias, T-Wave shape and other findings were studied and labelled. ECG Visualizer was developed and used for 3 machine learning (ML) methods to automate sinus bradycardia arrhythmia diagnosis. A dataset with 163 ECGs in XML format was collected comprising the Pro Football 12-lead Resting Electrocardiogram Database (PF12RED). „ECG Visualizer“ software was developed, and ML was shown to be useful in detecting sinus bradycardia. The study demonstrates that AI and machine learning can detect simple arrhythmias with accuracy, also it provides a valuable dataset and a free software application.

8 Temporal features of goals, substitutions, and fouls in football games in the five major European league from 2018 to 2021

Reference: Heliyon. 2024 Feb 28;10(5):e27014. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27014. eCollection 2024 Mar 15.
Authors: Rongkun Sun, Changquan Wang, Zhe Qin, Chuanliang Han
Download link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10923682/pdf/main.pdf
Summary: The „Big Five“ European football leagues, comprising England’s Premier League, Germany’s Bundesliga, Spain’s La Liga, Italy’s Serie A, and France’s Ligue 1, command significant attention. While the occurrence of goals, substitutions, and fouls in football games is often considered random, of the presence of an inherent inevitability is unclear. To investigate, we analyzed a public dataset detailing timing of goals, substitutions, and yellow cards in regular time from WhoScored across three seasons (2018-2019, 2019-2020, 2020-2021) in the top five European football leagues. We employed various mathematical descriptive models (including linear, sigmoid, and gaussian functions) to measure the temporal tendency of goals, substitutions, and yellow cards. Our results indicate that, whether in the first or second half of the match, the temporal distribution of these elements exhibits evenness a (indicative of randomness). However, specific characteristics were discerned through distinct model parameters, capturing novel phenomena that were intuitively illustrated. Furthermore, we explored the interaction of the timing of goals, substitutions, and yellow cards. In this analysis we found that scoring in the second half leads to more substitutions and yellow cards. Changing players in the second half corresponded with more goals, while the impact of yellow card fouls showed no differences in goals in the first and second halves. Our research is the first to systematically study the laws of modern football matches, providing valuable guidance and reference for many football coaches.

9 Mind the Gap: Comparison of External Load and Load Variation Between a Reserve Team in a 1-Game Week Microcycle and Its First Team in a 2-Game Week Microcycle Within an Elite Professional Soccer Club

Reference: J Strength Cond Res. 2024 Mar 20. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000004734. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Thomas Carpels, Nairn Scobie, Niall G Macfarlane, Ole J Kemi
Summary: The aim of this study was to quantify and compare weekly external load and within-week load variation of reserve team players (RES) in a 1-game week microcycle to first team players (FT) in a 2-game week microcycle within the same professional soccer club. External load data were collected between 2017 and 2020 for the following parameters: duration, total distance (TD), total high-speed distance (THSD; >19.8 km·h-1), high-speed distance (HSD; 19.8-25.2 km·h-1), sprint distance (SD; >25.2 km·h-1), number of sprints (number of efforts >25.2 km·h-1), number of high-speed efforts (number of HS efforts >19.8 km·h-1), meters per minute (m·min-1), and high-speed meters per minute (HS m·min-1). First team players were subcategorized into starters (ST) and nonstarters (NST). Intergroup differences in cumulative weekly load and weekly load patterns were statistically analyzed, whereas training monotony (TM) was quantified to assess intragroup, within-week, load variation. Reserve team players showed similar weekly loads to ST, apart from significant differences (p < 0.005) in duration (8%), TD (21%), and HS efforts (16%). Similar to ST, RES showed greater values than NST (p < 0.0005) for duration (10%), TD (9%), THSD (30%), HSD (26%), SD (45%), sprints (40%), and HS efforts (22%). Weekly patterns in RES were different from ST and NST (p < 0.05). Training monotony was highest for NST for all parameters, apart from the number of sprints. Reserve team players need to be prepared to cope with cumulative weekly loads and the lack of recovery between games that ST face. However, when RES become NST, effective loading strategies need to be designed within the limits of 2-game week microcycles to ensure continuous development.

10 Biological assessment of the omega-3 status after omega-3 enriched dietary during an active seasonal performance on soccer players

Reference: BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2024 Mar 22;16(1):71. doi: 10.1186/s13102-024-00823-7.
Authors: Haeyoung Kim, Seungho Shin, In-Ho Jeon, Jae-Man Kwak
Summary: The aim was to assess the physiological change of blood fatty acid composite during the seasonal performance of soccer players with omega-6/omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid balanced dietary supplementation. This study included 20 healthy and trained male soccer players. During the study, data collection was performed three times (pre-, mid-, post-season). Anthropometric data collection and blood sampling for the assessment of the omega index were performed. The mid- and post-seasonal data were compared with baseline data collected before the starting season (pre-seasonal data). Elevated levels of omega-3, HS-omega, and trans fatty acid were observed in both the mid- and post-seasonal data. During the season, the levels of omega-6/omega-3 and saturated fatty acid decreased, whereas there were no differences in total cholesterol, cholesterol LDL, HDL, BUN/Cr, HbA1c (NGSP), and cystatin C. n-3 PUFA-enriched dietary supplementation might alter blood omega-3 indices in soccer players during the season.

11 Understanding the role of gaze behaviour and coaching experience in the assessment of youth soccer teams

Reference: Sci Med Footb. 2024 Mar 21:1-9. doi: 10.1080/24733938.2024.2325135. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Jade O’Brien-Smith, Mitchell R Smith, Pieter Vansteenkiste, Job Fransen, Linus Zeuwts, Kyle J M Bennett, Matthieu Lenoir
Summary: This study aimed to explore the perceptual-cognitive characteristics of coaches as they assessed team performance in youth soccer. The primary focus was to investigate the alignment between coaches‘ subjective analyses of team behaviour and objective analyses, while also examining the relationship between coaches‘ gaze behaviour and their levels of coaching experience, particularly considering the potential differences that may exist among coaches with varying levels of experience. Sixty-five male and female adults with various soccer coaching experience (experienced, novice, other team sport experience, and non-team sport experience) watched five 4-minute videos and assessed team behaviour. These subjective evaluations were compared to objective data obtained from video analysis and GPS, which included measures of completed skills, spatiotemporal characteristics, and passing networks. The participants‘ fixation duration and frequency were measured for each video clip, and the area around the ball specifically. The study found no significant differences between groups regarding the number of times participants‘ subjective analysis aligned with the objective data (p = 0.059, ɳ2 = 0.07). However, coaches with soccer coaching experience demonstrated a higher fixation frequency and more revisits to the ball area when compared to participants without soccer experience (p = <.001, ɳ2 = 0.09). The current study offers a unique approach to uncovering soccer coaching expertise by combining objective and subjective evaluations of team performance. In summary, the study reveals that coaching experience did not impact how often coaches subjective analyses matched objective data. However, soccer coaches had distinctive gaze behaviour patterns where they revisited the area around the ball more often.

12 Sport-related concussion in soccer -a scoping review of available guidelines and a call for action to FIFA & soccer governing bodies

Reference: Brain Spine. 2024 Feb 1:4:102763. doi: 10.1016/j.bas.2024.102763. eCollection 2024.
Authors: Andreas K Demetriades, Imran Shah, Niklas Marklund, Hans Clusmann, Wilco Peul
Download link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10951760/pdf/main.pdf
Summary: Sport-related concussions (SRC) have been a concern in all sports, including soccer. The long-term effects of soccer-related head injuries are a public health concern. The Concussion in Sport Group (CISG) released a consensus statement in 2017 and several soccer governing associations have published their own SRC guidelines while referring to it but it is unclear whether this has been universally adopted. We aimed to investigate whether guidelines published by soccer associations have any discrepancies; and the extent to which they follow the CISG recommendations. A scoping review of available soccer-specific SRC guidelines was performed via databases PubMed, Google Scholar, and official soccer association websites via web browser Google. The inclusion criteria were soccer-specific SRC guidelines. Comparisons between guidelines were made concerning the following index items: initial (on-site) assessment, removal from play, re-evaluation with neuroimaging, return-to-sport protocol, special populations, and education. Nine soccer associations with available guidelines were included in this review. Guidelines obtained were from official associations in the United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. When compared to each other and the CISG recommendations, discrepancies were found within guidelines regarding the index items. Additionally, major soccer associations in some countries famous for soccer were found to have not published any publicly available guidelines.
Discussion and conclusion: SRC guidelines from different soccer associations contain discrepancies which may be detrimental to athletes, both short and long-term. We recommend that all major soccer governing associations publish guidelines that are standardised and accessible to all athletes.

13 Comparing the immediate effects of different neural mobilization exercises on hamstring flexibility in recreational soccer players

Reference: Hong Kong Physiother J. 2024 Dec;44(2):147-155. doi: 10.1142/S1013702524500124. Epub 2024 Feb 7.
Authors: Cyanna Joseph D’souza, Sannasi Rajasekar, Ruchit L Shetty
Download link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10949107/pdf/hkpj-44-147.pdf
Summary: Hamstring strain injuries remain a challenge for both athletes and clinicians given the high incidence rate, slow healing, and persistent symptoms. Increased tension in the neural structures is a known causative factor for hamstring tightness for which neural mobilization has emerged as a significant adjunct to routine stretching techniques. The aim was to compare the short-term effects of neural sliding and neural tensioning on hamstring length in male recreational soccer players with hamstring tightness. Sixty-two participants between ages 18 and 30 years were randomly assigned to one of the two groups viz. neural sliding or neural tensioning. Participants in either group performed the given stretching protocol in three sets. The Active Knee Extension Test (AKET) and Sit and Reach Test (SRT) were recorded before intervention, immediately after intervention, and after 60 min. between- and within group-analysis was done using analysis of variance. Between-group analysis showed that neural tensioning was more effective than neural sliding in improving hamstring length on both measures, however this difference was negligible. Within-group analysis demonstrated that the mean post-test scores on the AKET test and SRT were significantly greater than the pre-test scores in both groups (p<0.05, <0.05). A reduction in the post-test scores was observed after 60 min, irrespective of the type of stretching (p<0.05, <0.05). There was no difference in short-term effects of neural sliding or neural tensioning on hamstring flexibility in male recreational soccer players. Both groups showed improved flexibility immediately after the intervention with reduction in the effect after 60 min.

14 Double-leg and single-leg jump test reference values for athletes with and without anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction who play popular pivoting sports, including soccer and basketball: a scoping review

Reference: J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2024 Mar 20:1-37. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2024.12374. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Nicky van Melick, Walter van der Weegen, Nick van der Horst, Rob Bogie
Summary: The aim was to synthesize and present reference values for double-leg and single-leg jump tests in healthy athletes who play pivoting sports, and athletes with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) who play pivoting sports.  We searched PubMed, the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Embase and Web of Science until April 7, 2023.  We included reference values in two different categories: (1) double-leg and/or single-leg jump test outcomes in pivoting-sport athletes with ACLR at a specific time point during rehabilitation, and (2) double-leg and/or single-leg jump test outcomes in healthy pivoting-sport athletes.  We performed data synthesis for reference values from double-leg jump tests (squat jump and countermovement jump) and single-leg jump tests (vertical hop, single hop for distance, triple hop for distance, crossover hop for distance, medial triple hop for distance, lateral triple hop for distance, 6-meter timed hop, side hop, drop jump, and 10 second repeated hop) that were performed according to a standardized test description. We summarized the data for type of sport, sex, sport participation level and age group.  Of the 27 included studies, 9 reported reference values from healthy soccer players, 6 from healthy basketball players, and 11 from other healthy pivoting-sport athletes. LSI dominant/non-dominant (LSI-D/ND) ranged between 97% to 106% for healthy soccer players, and between 99% to 120% for healthy basketball players. Four studies reported reference values from pivoting-sport athletes with ACLR from 7 to 10 months post-surgery. This scoping review summarizes double-leg and single-leg jump test reference values for athletes who play common pivoting sports, including soccer and basketball.

15 Identifying the ideal weekly training load for in-game performance in an elite Brazilian soccer team

Reference: Front Physiol. 2024 Mar 5:15:1341791. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1341791. eCollection 2024.
Authors: Luís Branquinho, Elias de França, José E Teixeira, Adriano Titton, Luís Fernando Leite de Barros, Pedro Campos, Daniel A Marinho, Pedro Forte, Erico Chagas Caperuto, Ronaldo Vagner Thomatieli Dos Santos, Ricardo Ferraz
Download link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10948442/pdf/fphys-15-1341791.pdf
Summary: The purpose of this study was to investigate the ideal training load to be applied during periods of fixture congestion to ensure an adequate dose-response effect for performance maintenance.  Match performance data and corresponding pre-match training load sessions (both N = 498 match performance cases and training-block session cases) were collected (with the catapult system, VECTOR7) from 36 male professional soccer players (23.5 ± 5.2 years; 178 ± 4 cm; 75.5 ± 6.0 kg) belonging to the Brazilian First Division team during the 2022 season. The following data were collected in match and training sessions: jump, acceleration, deceleration, and change of direction (COD); running distance producing metabolic power at different intensities (>20, >20-35, >35-45, >45-55, and >55 W kg-1), total distance (m), relative distance (m/min), running distance at different speeds (>20, >25, and >30 km/h), number of sprints (running >25 km/h), and maximum speed (km/h). Mixed linear model (MLM), decision tree regression (DTR), and cluster K means model (SPSS v.26) approach were performed to identify the most critical variables (and their respective load) in the training sessions that could explain the athlete’s match performance.  MLM and DTR regression show that training load significantly affects game performance in a specific way. According to the present data, an interference phenomenon can occur when a high load of two different skills (running in a straight line vs COD, deceleration, and jumping) is applied in the same training block of the week. The cluster approach, followed by a chi-squared test, identified significant associations between training load and athlete match performance in a dose-dependent manner.  The high load values described here have a beneficial effect on match performance, despite the interference between stimuli discussed above. We present a positive training load from a congested season from the Brazilian First Division team. The study suggests that an interference effect occurs when high physical training loads are applied to different specific physical skills throughout the season.