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 Hamstring Injuries in Major League Soccer: A 10-Year Analysis of Injury Rate, Return to Play, and Performance Metrics by Player Position

Reference: Orthop J Sports Med. 2025 Aug 20;13(8):23259671251360422. doi: 10.1177/23259671251360422. eCollection 2025 Aug.
Authors: Brian Forsythe, Camden Bohn, Catherine Hand, Francis Hand, Daanish Khazi-Syed, Joshua Chang, Harmanjeet Singh, Andrew Savoia, Jonathan Spaan, Kyle Borque, Rachel Frank
Download link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12368392/pdf/10.1177_23259671251360422.pdf
Summary: Hamstring injuries are common in athletes performing high-intensity sports, such as soccer, impacting performance and return to play (RTP) times. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of hamstring injuries on RTP and performance among Major League Soccer (MLS) players over 10 years. The aim was to evaluate the effect of hamstring injuries on RTP times and performance metrics among MLS players over 10 years, with a focus on injury characteristics, rehabilitation practices, and positional differences. From 2010 to 2021, 2715 MLS players with hamstring injuries were identified by the MLS Injury Surveillance Database and analyzed. RTP times, injury rates, and reinjury rates were compared between the 2010-2015 and 2016-2021 cohorts. Performance metrics (games, minutes, goals, and assists) were extracted. Uninjured controls were matched 2 to1 by position, age, and experience. T tests were used to assess postinjury performance differences. Game-related injuries required longer RTP than practice injuries (27.8 vs 21.9 days; P = .023), and acute noncontact injuries took more time to recover than chronic injuries (24.9 vs 13.2 days; P < .0001). RTP times increased in the 2016-2021 cohort compared with the 2010-2015 cohort for minimal/first-degree injuries (15.09 ± 31.29 vs 10.13 ± 28.53 days; P = .018) and overall (20.26 vs 13.60 days; P = .002), despite stable injury rates (P = .405). Reinjury rates decreased nonsignificantly (P = .603); however, RTP after reinjury was longer in the 2016-2021 cohort (25.05 vs 10.03 days; P = .025). Defenders saw reduced minutes played 2 years after injury compared with controls (-221.60 ± 833.66 vs -34.80 ± 792.11; P = .007). RTP times were unaffected by playing surface grass versus turf (P = .620) or player position (forward, midfielder, defender, and goalkeeper) (P = .900). Injury rates were unchanged in the 2010-2015 and 2016-2021cohorts; however, RTP times increased in the latter cohort, especially for recurrent injuries. Game-related and acute noncontact injuries required longer RTP, and defenders showed the greatest performance decline. Future studies are needed to further highlight mechanisms of injury and treatment for preventative protocols.

2 Adductor longus tenotomy in a population of football players affected by adductor-related groin pain syndrome

Reference: J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2025 Aug 29. doi: 10.23736/S0022-4707.25.16823-0. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Andrea Bisciotti, Gian Nicola Bisciotti, Francesco DI Marzo, Alessio Auci, Cristiano Eirale, Giulia Carimati, Alessandro Quaglia, Piero Volpi
Summary: Adductor-related groin pain syndrome (ARGPS) is a common overuse injury encountered in sports requiring quick accelerations and decelerations, changes of direction and kicking. If conservative treatment fails, ARGPS can be surgically treated with adductor longus tenotomy (ALT). Four types of ALT are described in literature: two are different types of partial tenotomy (PT1 and PT2) and two are two different types of total tenotomy (TT1 and TT2). The aim of this study was to compare these four different types of ALT in athletic populations affected by ARGPS. In this retrospective study (level of evidence IV), four study groups of soccer players at different athletic levels were considered. G1 grouped 12 male patients subjected to partial ALT (PT1), G2 included 13 male patients subjected to partial ALT with a surgical technique (PT2) different to that employed in G1, G3 grouped 10 male patients subjected to total ALT (TT1) and G4 included 10 male patients subjected to total ALT with a different surgical technique (TT2) to G3. The percentage of subjects who resumed sporting activities and the return to play (RTP) times were respectively 83% and 7.5±3.8 months, 100% and 4.0±0.4 months, 100% and 3.1±0.5 months, 100% and 2.4±0.4 months for the study groups G1, G2, G3 and G4. The percentage of subjects that returned to sport was significantly lower (P<0.05) in G1 while the time for RTP was significantly lower (P<0.05) in G4. Of all the surgical techniques employed in ALT, the TT2 surgical technique entails a lower complication rate and allows for the quickest RTP in athletic populations.

3 Ramadan and match physical performance in professional Muslim football players: a three-phase interrupted time-series league-wide study from the Qatar Stars League

Reference: Sci Med Footb. 2025 Aug 28:1-12. doi: 10.1080/24733938.2025.2550414. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Valter Di Salvo, Andre Fornaziero, Daniele Bonanno, Lorenzo Lolli
Summary: To explore the effects of Ramadan on proxy measures of match physical performance in professional Muslim football players competing in the Qatar Stars League using a three-phase interrupted time-series design. We examined total, high-speed running ( > 15 km·h-1), very-high speed running ( > 20 km·h-1), and sprinting ( > 25 km·h-1) distances covered (m) by 45 professional Muslim football players tracked during official matches (322 individual measurements over 10 consecutive league rounds) and training (1168 individual observations) in periods preceding, during, and after Ramadan 1445. Separate multivariable-adjusted random-effects generalized additive models quantified the phase-specific effects of Ramadan on match running distances interpreted against the random match-to-match variability in total, high-speed running, very-high speed running, and sprinting distance of ± 494 m (95% confidence interval [CI], 480 to 508 m), ±200 m (95% CI, 195 to 206 m), ±102 m (95% CI, 99 to 105 m), and ± 60 m (95% CI, 58 to 61 m), respectively. Model-based phase-specific effects of Ramadan indicated mean reductions of 254 m (95% CI, 138 to 370 m) in total distance, 92 m (95%CI, 59 to 123 m) in high-speed running, and 31 m (95% CI, 12 to 50 m) in very high-speed running distance that were indistinguishable from random within-subject match-to-match variability. Effects for sprinting distance were inconsistent. Running distances covered during training were materially equivalent across study phases. In Muslim-majority environments like the State of Qatar, professional Muslim football players seem able to cope with Ramadan without experiencing substantial impairments in match physical performance or reductions in training load.

4 Effects of Recreational Football on Body Composition and Cardiometabolic Health in Overweight or Obese Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Reference: Life (Basel). 2025 Aug 12;15(8):1276. doi: 10.3390/life15081276.
Authors: Sijia Li, Haoran Li, Bo Wang, Zhuo Zeng, Rui Zhang, Henghao Yan, Aiguo Zhou, Yongmin Xie, Chengyu Zhou
Download link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12387140/pdf/life-15-01276.pdf
Reference: This study systematically examined the effects of recreational football on body composition and cardiometabolic health in overweight or obese individuals via subgroup analyses of potential moderators. A systematic search was conducted across six databases (PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang Data) in May and July 2025 to identify controlled trials evaluating recreational football among overweight or obese individuals. A meta-analysis was performed to pool the effect estimates, reported as standardized mean differences (SMDs), with heterogeneity explored through subgroup analyses. Recreational football interventions across 32 studies (1126 participants, aged 11-68) led to significant improvements in body composition and cardiometabolic health. The training programs ranged from 4 to 48 weeks, with sessions lasting 4 to 30 min. Key body composition outcomes included reductions in body weight (SMD = -0.51), body mass index (SMD = -0.41), body fat percentage (SMD = -0.53), fat mass (SMD = -0.40), and waist circumference (SMD = -1.43), along with increases in lean body mass (SMD = 0.18). The effects were more pronounced in females and younger participants (≤18 years). Cardiometabolic benefits included reductions in systolic blood pressure (SMD = -0.59), diastolic blood pressure (SMD = -0.75), and mean arterial pressure (SMD = -0.91), as well as resting heart rates (SMD = -0.85), especially among females, obese males, and those subject to shorter rest intervals. Participants‘ peak oxygen uptake also improved (SMD = 0.81). Concerning lipid metabolism, participants‘ total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides decreased significantly, particularly in females, younger and obese individuals, and those who trained more than twice per week. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased significantly only in females and those involved in frequent training. In regard to glucose metabolism, participants‘ fasting insulin declined (SMD = -0.47), especially in regard to programs exceeding 12 weeks, whereas no significant changes were observed in fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, or the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance. According to the GRADE assessments, the certainty of the evidence ranged from very low to moderate across these outcomes. Recreational football improves the body composition and cardiometabolic health in overweight or obese individuals, resulting in reductions in adiposity, blood pressure, lipids, and insulin, with greater benefits observed in females, younger individuals, and those engaging in more frequent training. These findings support its potential as a practical intervention for weight and cardiometabolic risk management, in both clinical and community settings.

5 The Role of Stabilization Exercise in Preventing Pain and Postural Defects in Young Football Players

Reference: Healthcare (Basel). 2025 Aug 12;13(16):1983. doi: 10.3390/healthcare13161983.
Authors: Sebastian Kluczyński, Kornelia Korzan, Piotr Sorek, Tomasz Jurys, Andrzej Knapik, Anna Brzęk
Download link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12385192/pdf/healthcare-13-01983.pdf
Summary: Maintaining proper posture and preventing musculoskeletal pain are essential for the healthy development of young football players. Contemporary concepts of postural control emphasize the importance of the lumbopelvic-hip complex and the activation of deep trunk muscles. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a structured core stabilization training program on postural parameters and pain reduction in young football players. A total of 182 male football players, aged 9-15 years, were enrolled and allocated to either the intervention or control group. The 12-week intervention consisted of exercises targeting both local and global trunk stabilizers. Assessments included measurements of spinal curvatures, trunk rotation angles, lower limb loading symmetry, and postural stability using the TMX-127 digital inclinometer (Saunders Group Inc., Chaska, MN, USA) and the Baseline scoliometer (Fabrication Enterprises, Inc. New York, USA). Pain intensity was measured using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Repeated-measures statistical analyses were performed with a significance level set at p ≤ 0.05. The intervention group showed significant improvements in trunk rotational parameters, with reductions in ATR values at C7/Th1 (-0.54°) and L5/S1 (-0.49°). SATR values decreased by -0.28° between the second and third assessments. Symmetry of lower limb loading under eyes-open conditions improved significantly (p < 0.00195). No significant changes were observed in dynamic balance, as assessed by the Y-Balance Test (p > 0.05). Pain intensity decreased from 3.33 to 2.55 on the VAS, reflecting a reduction of 0.78 points. Systematic core stabilization training enhances postural quality and reduces the occurrence and severity of musculoskeletal pain in young football players, with lasting effects-except for postural control under conditions of reduced visual input. This type of training represents an effective physioprophylactic strategy, supporting postural control and lowering the risk of injuries. To maintain these benefits, continued training that incorporates balance and proprioceptive exercises is recommended.

6 Experiences and Functional Health Outcomes Associated with a Walking Football Program in Rural Older Adults: A Pilot Study

Reference: Sports (Basel). 2025 Aug 15;13(8):272. doi: 10.3390/sports13080272.
Authors: Stephen Cousins, Kylie McIntyre, Philip Lyristakis, Keanu Padula, Jane McCaig, Brett Gordon
Download link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12390617/pdf/sports-13-00272.pdf
Summary: This pilot study aimed to investigate the experiences of participating in a brief walking football intervention among rural older adults and explore the functional health outcomes of participation. This multi-methods study saw 13 older adults (7 males/6 females, 63.2 ± 9.4 years) complete 1-h of walking football per week for six weeks. Pre- and post-intervention, participants underwent assessments of body composition, as well as functional assessments using the Senior Fitness Testing Battery. On completion of the walking football intervention, all participants joined in a semi-structured focus group interview to explore their experiences of participation. Thematic analysis of focus group data identified three themes that captured participant’s experiences, including: (1) „Opportunity to jump back in with what we can physically do“, (2) Social connection and feeling „part of something bigger“, and (3) „It’s how our brain is engaged“. Trivial changes were observed in assessments of body composition (0.07-0.08) and flexibility (0.02-0.19). Furthermore, small-to-large magnitude changes were observed for several functional health outcomes suggestive of improved walking capacity (0.72-1.6), agility (-0.9) and upper and lower body muscular strength (0.49). Rural older adults reported experiencing perceived health and well-being improvements from participation in a brief walking football intervention, with functional health benefits also evident; however, further suitably powered evidence is highly warranted.

7 Shaping Training Load, Technical-Tactical Behaviour, and Well-Being in Football: A Systematic Review

Reference: Sports (Basel). 2025 Jul 25;13(8):244. doi: 10.3390/sports13080244.
Authors: Pedro Afonso, Pedro Forte, Luís Branquinho, Ricardo Ferraz, Nuno Domingos Garrido, José Eduardo Teixeira
Download link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12390603/pdf/sports-13-00244.pdf
Summary: Football performance results from the dynamic interaction between physical, tactical, technical, and psychological dimensions-each of which also influences player well-being, recovery, and readiness. However, integrated monitoring approaches remain scarce, particularly in youth and sub-elite contexts. This systematic review screened 341 records from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, with 46 studies meeting the inclusion criteria (n = 1763 players; age range: 13.2-28.7 years). Physical external load was reported in 44 studies using GPS-derived metrics such as total distance and high-speed running, while internal load was examined in 36 studies through session-RPE (rate of perceived exertion × duration), heart rate zones, training impulse (TRIMP), and Player Load (PL). A total of 22 studies included well-being indicators capturing fatigue, sleep quality, stress levels, and muscle soreness, through tools such as the Hooper Index (HI), the Total Quality Recovery (TQR) scale, and various Likert-type or composite wellness scores. Tactical behaviours (n = 15) were derived from positional tracking systems, while technical performance (n = 7) was assessed using metrics like pass accuracy and expected goals, typically obtained from Wyscout® or TRACAB® (a multi-camera optical tracking system). Only five studies employed multivariate models to examine interactions between performance domains or to predict well-being outcomes. Most remained observational, relying on descriptive analyses and examining each domain in isolation. These findings reveal a fragmented approach to player monitoring and a lack of conceptual integration between physical, psychological, tactical, and technical indicators. Future research should prioritise multidimensional, standardised monitoring frameworks that combine contextual, psychophysiological, and performance data to improve applied decision-making and support player health, particularly in sub-elite and youth populations.

8 Training spatial intelligence in football through the cognitive load scale

Reference: Front Sports Act Living. 2025 Aug 11:7:1628561. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2025.1628561. eCollection 2025.
Authors: Rafael Pedrosa, Ricardo Tavares
Download link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12376292/pdf/fspor-07-1628561.pdf
Summary: Cognitive skills like working memory and spatial awareness play a central role in football, yet they are not commonly addressed in training. Here, we propose a practical approach to integrating cognitive demands into football practice without losing the ecological validity of the game. We introduce the Cognitive Load Scale (CLS), a five-level framework to classify and adapt drills based on their cognitive demands. Through task constraints involving space, color rules, attentional shifts, and memory load, coaches can challenge how players perceive, decide, and act under pressure. We present examples across CLS levels, showing how spatial intelligence can be trained systematically on the pitch. The goal is to design sessions where the game itself becomes the tool for cognitive development.

9 Enhancing Prevention of Injuries in Community youth and adult amateur football teams (EPIC) via implementation support for an exercise-based intervention: study protocol for a type 3 hybrid implementation-effectiveness cluster-randomised controlled trial

Reference: BMJ Open. 2025 Aug 26;15(8):e102008. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-102008.
Authors: Hanna Lindblom, Sofi Sonesson, Markus Waldén, Ida Åkerlund, Andreas Ivarsson, Martin Hägglund
Download link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12382590/pdf/bmjopen-15-8.pdf
Summary: Injury prevention exercise programmes with multiple components are efficacious in reducing injuries in youth and adult football. However, obtaining high adherence to the programmes over time is an unsolved challenge. Previous studies report that players lack motivation for injury prevention training and that coaches need ongoing support when using these programmes. The overall purpose of this study is to compare the added value of implementation support on the implementation and preventive efficacy of the Knee Control+programme in male and female, youth and adult amateur football teams. This is a type 3 hybrid cluster-randomised controlled trial with adherence to the Knee Control+ injury prevention programme as the primary outcome and preventive efficacy as secondary outcomes. The study will take place during the 2025 football season (April/May to October/November) in Sweden, and we aim to enrol a minimum of 117 teams with players 10 years of age and older. All teams will have access to Knee Control+ via the Swedish Football Association (FA) website and are instructed to use the programme throughout the season. Teams randomised to the intervention group will receive support for implementation of Knee Control+, and the control group will receive no implementation support. This support primarily targets coaches and consists of a smorgasbord of activities and material including physical and digital workshops, leaflets, digital material and site visits to the teams. Codesign with coaches and players was employed during the design of the implementation support. Players report use of Knee Control+ and any injuries or complaints monthly, and coaches report training and use of Knee Control+ weekly, via web-based questionnaires. Adherence to Knee Control+ (primary) and preventive effects on injury incidence and prevalence (secondary) will be compared between groups.

10 Video analysis of head impacts in top-level female football players: a cohort study

Reference: Sci Med Footb. 2025 Aug 26:1-10. doi: 10.1080/24733938.2025.2548209. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Sara Dahlén, John Bjørneboe, Stian Kirkerud Sandmo, Lena Kristin Bache-Mathiesen, Thor Einar Andersen
Summary: This study aimed at exploring the exposure of head impacts, i.e. headers and non-headers, in top-level female football players. The study included all teams (n = 10) and players (n = 238) in the Norwegian Women’s Premier League during the 2023 season. Video analysis was used to register headers and non-headers in the 135 matches of the season. Potential head injuries were compared between video signs and medical reports. The header and non-header incidences were estimated per 90 match minutes with 95% confidence intervals (CI). We observed 9364 headers and 233 non-headers in 135 matches. Nine non-headers resulted in a head injury (all concussions), players‘ time loss ranging from 5 to 87 days. The highest number of headers performed by a single player in a match was 22. The total number of headers performed during a match varied between 34 and 125. Defenders had an estimated 4.2 (CI = 3.9-4.3), midfielders 2.9 (CI = 2.7-3.0), and forwards 2.6 (CI = 2.5-3.1) headers per match. There was a positive correlation between heading frequency and age. Forwards were the players most exposed to non-headers, with an estimated 0.09 per match. Most non-headers were caused by unintentional head-to-ball contact. We found that defenders had the highest header frequency. Header frequencies varied substantially between players and from match to match. Forwards had the highest risk of non-headers. Nine non-headers resulted in head injuries.

11 Pregnant Pitches: Navigating Football Before and During Pregnancy

Reference: Sports Med. 2025 Aug 25. doi: 10.1007/s40279-025-02249-8. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Amal Hassan, Sinead Dufour, Emma Brockwell, Michiko Dohi, Margie H Davenport
Download link: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40279-025-02249-8.pdf
Summary: With more high-profile footballers smashing expectations and returning to peak performance after childbirth, pregnancy is no longer seen as a barrier to elite football. In order to optimize postpartum return to performance it is essential that the football community proactively work together to obtain up to date information related to pregnancy and apply this to the context of current female football. To create scalable guidance for safe football participation during pregnancy and effective protocols for successful performance, we must first establish the current state of scientific research on the topic. Through appropriately standardized and timely player education, targeted medical screening, monitoring, and intervention, the reproductive health and fertility potential of female footballers can be optimized in support of their family planning wishes and long-term football participation and performance. The state of the science related to exercise and athletic performance in pregnancy has evolved in recent years. This evolution requires articulation and integration with the current state of female football. The bridge between these two spheres highlights the need for maintained football participation throughout pregnancy, following appropriate precautions, to reduce the risk of detraining and to help support players‘ psychosocial well-being and sense of athletic identity. This review articulates the state of the science as relevant to the contemporary female footballer together with their support system, to provide the needed foundation for the application of these considerations into practice. Greater support for footballer-mothers keeps more women in the game for longer, and inspires women and girls to get involved in a sport that can be continued as a lifelong endeavor.

12 Back to the Future-Past Learnings for Prospective Performance, Medicine and Health Research Recommendations in WOMEN’s Football

Reference: Sports Med. 2025 Aug 25. doi: 10.1007/s40279-025-02250-1. Online ahead of print.
Authors: R Lovell, K Okholm Kryger
Download link: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40279-025-02250-1.pdf
Summary: The rapid professionalisation of women’s football has exposed significant gaps in biopsychosocial research that is essential to support player development, health, and career longevity. This current opinion examines historical deficiencies in research related to women’s football, and presents the WOMEN framework (World-wide representation, Open science, Methodology excellence, Evidence-based practice, Nurturing talent) to address these gaps and provide future research directions. Emphasis is placed on the necessity of diversity in research populations, adoption of open science practices and methodological rigor to produce impactful, generalisable findings. The framework also signifies the importance of research to support nurturing talent from youth to elite levels, considering the unique factors affecting female players. By learning from the past, and using available guidelines and resources, the existing knowledge gaps can be bridged to support evidence-based advancements in women’s football, promoting both performance enhancement and player wellbeing across all stages of an athlete’s career.

13 Uncovering Sleep Behaviour in Women’s Football: What Evidence Do We Have?

Reference: Sports Med. 2025 Aug 25. doi: 10.1007/s40279-025-02247-w. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Shona L Halson, Amy Bender, Glyn Howatson, Charles Pedlar
Download link: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40279-025-02247-w.pdf
Summary: Sleep plays an important role in performance, health and well-being, yet may represent a challenge to many female football players. Areas of the brain that are involved in the regulation of sleep contain receptors for the ovarian hormones, estrogen and progesterone. While limited evidence exists describing sleep across the menstrual cycle in elite female football players, related data suggest that female athletes may report poor subjective sleep, despite appropriate objectively measured sleep quality and quantity, particularly prior to or during menstruation. Some of the precipitators of poor sleep in female athletes may include: travel and jetlag, caffeine consumption, light exposure, competing at night, menstrual cycle symptoms, menstrual cycle dysfunction, low iron status and performing caring responsibilities. This article discusses potential approaches to protect, assess and provide interventions to support sleep in female football players. Despite the evidence base of research being predominantly studies of male athletes, there are a number of specific recommendations that can be made for female athletes. These include advice regarding methods to assess sleep and provide interventions based on resource availability, monitoring and managing menstrual cycle symptoms and menstrual dysfunction, and consideration of mitigating strategies to reduce the effects on known sleep disruptors. Many female footballers navigate unique challenges related to sleep; however, with appropriate support from coaches and sport science and sports medicine practitioners, an appropriate support network can be provided to not only optimise performance, but the physical and mental health of female athletes.

14 From Growth to Greatness: A Leading Article on the Professionalisation, Health and Performance Challenges in Women’s Football

Reference: Sports Med. 2025 Aug 25. doi: 10.1007/s40279-025-02266-7. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Dawn Scott, Ric Lovell, Belinda Wilson
Download link: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40279-025-02266-7.pdf
Summary: The FIFA Women’s World Cup AUS & NZL 2023™ marked a pivotal moment in women’s football, reflecting unprecedented growth in global attention, revenue and participation. This leading article discusses the transformation in women’s football, emphasising the increasing demands on players alongside the sport’s professionalisation. To support this transformation, the FIFA Female Health project is introduced, which seeks to address critical health and performance challenges specific to female players by raising awareness, supporting research and developing education initiatives for women’s football stakeholders. In this prologue, we examine the rise in physical and tactical requirements, driven by more rigorous match schedules, advanced pressing strategies and extended travel demands. Alongside these challenges, we emphasise the growing need for multidisciplinary support teams to address the unique biopsychosocial needs of female footballers. This article calls for further research, education and investment in player support. By examining the interplay between professionalisation and performance, this special issue aims to provide insights into the critical areas where scientific innovation and collaboration are necessary to ensure player wellbeing and sustained performance in the evolving landscape of women’s football.

15 Longitudinal assessment of brain injury biomarker neurofilament light in female football players during a competitive season of football heading

Reference: Sci Med Footb. 2025 Aug 25:1-11. doi: 10.1080/24733938.2025.2550418. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Aaron F Carbuhn, Kasey Edwardson, Prabhakar Chalise, Setorwu Dzesu, Jill K Morris
Summary: This prospective cohort study aimed to longitudinally assess the brain injury biomarker plasma neurofilament light (NfL) and its relationship with football heading exposure in female football players during a competitive season. Forty-nine collegiate female football players were recruited to participate in the study, 29 voluntarily consented and enrolled. Blood samples were collected every 3-4 weeks during season: preseason, midseason 1, 2, and postseason. Heading exposure was estimated every two weeks via HeadCount questionnaire. Linear mixed models for repeated measures were used to determine differences in plasma NfL during the season. Spearman’s rank correlation analysis determined the relationship between NfL changes and heading exposure. For analysis, participants were excluded if unable to participate in ≥ 80% of team activities or experienced a concussion during the season; thus, six were excluded resulting in 23 participants‘ data analyzed. NfL at mid- and postseason did not differ from preseason (mid1: p = 0.57; mid2: p = 0.88; postseason: p = 0.07). Changes in NfL from preseason were unrelated to gameplay heading exposure at any time points and cumulative exposure at midseason 1, 2. Changes in NfL and cumulative heading exposure from pre- to postseason were positively correlated (r = 0.434, p = 0.039), with lower exposures associated with reductions in NfL and higher exposures showing minimal to no elevations. In conclusion, plasma NfL did not elevate in collegiate female football players during a competitive season of heading exposure. However, whether these findings reflect no subtle brain injury or NfL’s insensitivity in detecting said injury in young female players remains unclear.

16 Mapping Multi-Modal Fatigue in Elite Soccer Through Sweat-Omics Perspectives: A Narrative Review

Reference: Biology (Basel). 2025 Aug 16;14(8):1069. doi: 10.3390/biology14081069.
Authors: Moses Gnanasigamani, Ersan Arslan, Yusuf Soylu, Bulent Kilit, Paweł Chmura
Download link: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/14/8/1069
Summary: Fatigue in elite soccer is a multifaceted phenomenon involving physical, metabolic, psychological, and neuromuscular stressors that accumulate over training and competition. Traditional monitoring tools, while informative, are often invasive, impractical during play, or fail to provide real-time insights. This narrative review synthesizes sweat-based biomarkers linked to fatigue in elite soccer, with a focus on multi-modal domains (neuromuscular, metabolic, inflammatory, psychological). Using an integrative approach, we reviewed studies published across databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science that evaluate sweat biomarkers of different types of fatigue in soccer. We identified key candidates-lactate, sodium, cortisol, IL-6, and hypoxanthine-and evaluated their potential in non-invasive monitoring. Youth-specific and female populations remain underrepresented. We also assessed each biomarker’s technological maturity using a sweat-specific Technology Readiness Level (TRL) framework. Based on these findings, we propose a translational framework for practitioners and outline priorities for future research and validation in real-world sport settings.

17 Energy Expenditure of Male Soccer Players from an English Premier League Team Does Not Differ Between One-Game and Two-Game Per Week Microcycles

Reference: Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2025 Sep 2. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003850. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Wee Lun Foo, Catherine Hambly, Emma Tester, Panos Markakis, Jose L Areta, Graeme L Close, John R Speakman, James P Morton
Affiliations Expand
Summary: The aim was to determine the total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) of male English Premier League (EPL) players during one-game week (1GW) and two-game week (2GW) microcycles, thereby informing carbohydrate (CHO) guidelines aligned to the increasing physical demands of the game. Nine male players from an EPL club were assessed over a 15-day in-season period, including a 1GW followed by a 2GW. Measurements included TDEE (doubly labelled water, DLW), energy intake (remote food photography method, RFPM) and external physical loading. Accumulative training and match duration was greater during 1GW (335 ± 22 min) compared to 2GW (307 ± 32 min, p = 0.013) whereas average speed was higher in 2GW (73 ± 7 m·min-1) versus 1GW (63 ± 4 m·min-1, p = 0.012). No differences were observed in accumulative total (25552 ± 3502 m vs 26360 ± 5462 m), high-speed running (1744 ± 536 m vs 1705 ± 752 m), or sprint distances (372 ± 150 m vs 324 ± 252 m) between 1GW and 2GW (all p < 0.05). Mean TDEE was 3551 ± 507 kcal·day-1, with no difference between 1GW (3554 ± 963 kcal·day-1) and 2GW (3467 ± 821 kcal·day-1, p = 0.781). Self-reported EI using RFPM (2975 ± 292 kcal·day-1) underestimated DLW derived EI estimates (3663 ± 665 kcal·day-1) by 724 ± 722 kcal·day-1 (18% error, p = 0.026). TDEE in male EPL soccer players does not differ between 1GW and 2GW microcycles, likely due to the comparable external loads. Data provide further evidence that daily CHO intakes should likely range from 4-6 g.kg-1 on training days, increasing to 6-8 g.kg-1 for match day preparation, match day and recovery.

18 Analysis of selected variables in body composition, upper limb strength, and resting energy expenditure among youth soccer players: insights based on field position

Reference: PeerJ. 2025 Aug 29:13:e19860. doi: 10.7717/peerj.19860. eCollection 2025.
Authors: Edyta Łuszczki, Anna Bartosiewicz, Katarzyna Dereń, Paweł Jagielski, Andrzej Łukasik
Download link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12401017/pdf/peerj-13-19860.pdf
Summary: The study aimed to determine and compare selected variables of body composition, upper limb strength, and resting energy expenditure from the perspective of field position in youth soccer players. The study group consisted of 189 boys aged 9 to 19 years ( ¯x = 14.7 ± 2.6 years) from the Sports Championship Schools. Body composition was determined using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and resting energy expenditure (kcal/day) was measured using a Cosmed Quark RMR indirect calorimeter. Muscle strength was assessed using a handgrip dynamometer to measure grip strength. We studied 189 boys (mean body mass 58.4 ± 16.1 kg; mean height 166.9 ± 14.5 cm) divided by field position: attackers (n = 43), defenders (n = 70), goalkeepers (n = 21), and midfielders (n = 55). Significant between-position differences were observed in age, body mass, height, body mass index (BMI), grip strength (GS), lean mass, fat mass, bone mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD), and resting energy expenditure (REE). Body mass differed between attackers and goalkeepers (51.3 vs. 73.3 kg) and defenders and goalkeepers (58.7 vs. 73.3 kg). Goalkeepers had the highest body mass. REE measured by indirect calorimetry differed between attackers and goalkeepers (1,729 vs. 2,088 kcal/day). These results allow for determining favorable parameters for each position on the field for young football players.

19 Impact of Starting Status and Match Outcome on Peak Match Demands in Semiprofessional Soccer Players

Reference: Percept Mot Skills. 2025 Sep 3:315125251374116. doi: 10.1177/00315125251374116. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Alejandro Sierra-Casas, Filipe Manuel Clemente, Daniel Castillo, Piotr Zmijewski, Alejandro Rodríguez-Fernández
Affiliations Expand
Summary: This study aimed to determine the peak locomotor match demands between starters and non-starting soccer players according to playing position and match outcome. Twenty-two young outfield soccer players were observed over 17 official matches. Locomotor performance during the matches was recorded per minute: total distance (TD), high-speed running distance (HSD, >19.8 km/h), sprint distance (SPD, >25.2 km/h), high metabolic load distance (HMLD, 25.5 W·kg-1), number of high-intensity accelerations (ACC, >3 m/s2) and decelerations (DCC, >-3 m/s2), and Player Load (PL). Rolling moving averages were used to calculate the peak match demands as worst-case scenarios (PMD) in 1 (PMD1m) and 3 (PMD3m) minutes. Players were classified based on their playing position, as well as the match outcome at the time of substitution. The results demonstrate that when the non-starter plays the same position, peak match demands are generally similar, except HSD and SPD in PMD1m, which are higher in starters. Position-based analysis shows that starting central defender and central midfielder cover a significantly longer TD during PMD1m and PMD3m compared to their respective non-starters. Moreover, starting players cover a greater TD, HSD, SPD, and HMLD in PMD1m when the substitution occurs while winning compared to their respective non-starting players.

20 Dynamic ultrasound assessment of knee displacement in healthy adolescent female soccer players: description and reliability

Reference: BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2025 Sep 2;26(1):844. doi: 10.1186/s12891-025-09101-0.
Authors: Jacob Jones, Katie Sloma, Jessica Garcia, Sophia Ulman
Download link: https://bmcmusculoskeletdisord.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s12891-025-09101-0.pdf
Summary: To describe a dynamic ultrasound modified prone Lachman test to assess total anterior/posterior knee displacement. To evaluate the intra- and inter-rater reliability of the ultrasound measurements obtained during the modified prone Lachman test. Participants laid prone on an exam table as the trained researcher and assistant performed a Lachman test on both limbs. Keeping the posterior view of the medial femur, tibia, and overlying semimembranosus tendon in view, images were captured during the maneuver via a five-second video clip. Measurements were taken from the video clips by two examiners (one experienced, one novice) within the same maneuver to assess the posterior, anterior, and total displacement of the tibia in relation to the femur. Thirty-seven limbs (16.0 ± 1.08 years, 165.7 ± 6.4 cm, 60 ± 6.8 kg) were included for analysis. Good intra-rater (ICC: 0.87–0.88) and inter-rater reliability (ICC:0.88–0.89) was demonstrated for anterior and posterior measures in both examiners. For the computed total displacement, the experienced examiner demonstrated excellent intra-rater reliability (ICC: 0.90) while the novice examiner demonstrated poor reliability (ICC: 0.49). Inter-rater reliability for total displacement was moderate (ICC: 0.55). No significant differences were found between raters or between sessions. While good intra- and inter-rater reliability was found for both posterior and anterior displacement measures, the notably lower intra-rater reliability observed for the novice examiner in total displacement highlights that examiner experience may influence measurement consistency. Using ultrasound while performing the prone Lachman test allows for an objective tibial displacement measurement to assess ACL competency and knee displacement in the presence of an intact ACL. Ultrasound provides direct visualization of femur and tibia displacement, mitigating the limitation of arthrometers in assessing knee displacement.

21 Physiological and Performance Adaptations to Running-Based Interval Interventions in Soccer Players: Comparative Analysis of Sprint Interval Training, Small-Sided Games, and Repeated-Sprint Training

Reference: Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2025 Sep 1:1-9. doi: 10.1123/ijspp.2025-0168. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Kai Xie, Bing Zhang
Summary: The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of a 6-week program involving various forms of running-based interval interventions on the physiological and performance adaptations of male soccer players during preseason. A total of 40 young trained collegiate soccer players (21 [1.3] y) were randomly assigned to 4 groups: traditional sprint interval training (SIT, 20-s trials), small-sided games, repeated-sprint training (RST, 5-s trials), and an active control group, each of 10 members. Physiological variables, including maximum oxygen uptake, first and second ventilatory thresholds, and peak and average power output, were assessed before and after the 6-week intervention. In addition, performance outcomes including countermovement vertical jump, 20-m sprint, L-run change-of-direction speed, and the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test 1 (Yo-Yo IR1) were also measured. The SIT, small-sided games, and RST groups demonstrated significant (P < .05) improvements in the countermovement vertical jump (effect size [ES] = 0.89, 0.98, 1.01), 20-m sprint (ES = -0.86, -0.53, -1.22), L-run change-of-direction speed (ES = -1.65, -1.79, -2.55), Yo-Yo IR1 (ES = 1.79, 1.09, 2.15), maximum oxygen uptake (ES = 1.22, 0.49, 1.29), first ventilatory threshold (ES = 1.38, 0.63, 1.44), second ventilatory threshold (ES = 0.96, 0.56, 0.97), peak power output (ES = 0.94, 0.89, 1.21), and average power output (ES = 1.05, 0.89, 0.91) after the training intervention. When comparing the magnitude of changes (ie, %change) among the training groups, the SIT and RST groups showed more enhancements compared with the small-sided games in the Yo-Yo IR1 (15.9% and 20.8% vs 11.1%, P = .005, .001), maximum oxygen uptake (5.9% and 6.4% vs 3.5%, P = .001), first ventilatory threshold (6.3% and 6.9% vs 4.2%, P = .001), and second ventilatory threshold (4.3% and 4.4% vs 3.1%, P = .007, .042). In addition, the RST group demonstrated more training gains compared with the SIT in the 20-m sprint (-7.2% vs -4.2%, P = .001), Yo-Yo IR1 (20.8% vs 15.9%, P = .005), and peak power output (10.2% vs 8.0%, P = .008) after the training intervention. All training interventions led to improvements in physiological and performance adaptations among young soccer players. The RST group achieved the greatest gains compared with the other protocols. These findings highlight RST as a particularly effective strategy for enhancing soccer player performance.