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 Why does it work? Proposed biomedical effect mechanisms of exercise-based injury prevention programmes in football (soccer) and handball: a scoping review of 104 studies

Reference: Br J Sports Med. 2025 Sep 9:bjsports-2025-109802.  doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2025-109802. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Christian Moen, Grethe Myklebust, Emilie Munkvold, Martin Hägglund, Roald Bahr, Merete Møller, Christian Thue Bjørndal, Hege Grindem
Summary: The aim was to describe the proposed biomedical effect mechanisms in research on exercise-based injury prevention programmes in football (soccer) and handball. MEDLINE via PubMed, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science databases were searched from 2000 to 2024. Studies were included if they described exercise-based injury prevention programmes in football (soccer) or handball and provided a biomedical rationale or proposition of effect mechanisms. Peer-reviewed studies of all ages and both sexes at elite, subelite or amateur level were eligible. We included 104 studies (78 RCTs, 25 cohort studies, 1 case study) with sample sizes ranging from 10 to 4556 participants. Most studies (83%) were published after 2010, and interventions were reported to have an effect in 82% of the studies. Four main themes emerged describing the proposed effect mechanisms: neuromuscular control (47%), strength (39%), range of motion (11%) and physical fitness (3%). Definitions of key terms related to the intervention were provided in only 19% of studies, measurements of specific biomedical effect mechanisms were conducted in just 59% of studies. Neuromuscular control and strength were the predominant proposed effect mechanisms for injury prevention programmes in football and handball. To better establish effect mechanisms of exercise-based interventions, future research should consistently define key terms related to the interventions and strive to identify and test causal mechanisms to optimise injury prevention programmes.

2 Injuries and risk factors in men’s beach soccer: Japanese national championships 2013-2023

Reference: Sci Med Footb. 2025 Sep 9:1-10. doi: 10.1080/24733938.2025.2558580. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Tomoyuki Shimakawa, Simon Galmiche, Shinichiro Ueda, Yusuke Shimakawa
Summary: Understanding the most common injuries in beach soccer and their risk factors is essential for ensuring player safety. We aimed to describe the injury patterns and identify factors associated with the risk of injury in men’s beach soccer. We prospectively recorded injuries reported by players at an on-site aid station during the Japanese National Beach Soccer Championships between 2013 and 2023 (9 tournaments). Match exposure was recorded through video review. We described the injury types and sites, and the factors associated with the injury risk using generalized estimating equations in negative binomial models adjusted for confounders. In total, 796 participants played for 1360.5 player-hours. We observed 144 injuries, with an incidence rate of 106.0/1000 player-hours (95% CI: 89.9-125.0), representing 153 diagnoses. The most frequent injury sites were as follows: foot (n = 40), thigh (n = 24), and lower leg (n = 21). The most frequent injury type was contusion (n = 75). Of the 83 injuries caused by a contact with another player, 24 resulted in a foul. There were 35 injuries associated with time loss (incidence rate 25.7/1000 player-hours, 95% CI: 18.6-35.7), mainly in the foot (n=10) and the thigh (n=8). The risk of injury was lower for goalkeepers and higher in players with time-loss injuries in the past year, with trends towards higher risk for players with lower BMI and history of severe injuries. Lower limb contusions are the predominant injuries in men’s beach soccer. Our findings raise the question of protective foot gear to reduce foot contusions and fractures and can inform playing schedules of players at risk.

3 The Effects of Caffeine Mouth Rinsing During the Battery of Soccer-Specific Tests in the Trained Male Soccer Players: Fasted Versus Fed State

Reference: Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2025 Sep 9:1-10. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.2025-0040. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Hossein Miraftabi, Hossein Ghorbani, Pedram Souzandeh, Erfan Berjisian, Alireza Naderi, Shima Mojtahedi, Chad Kerksick
Summary: Caffeine (CAF) mouth rinsing has been considered a practical nutritional strategy among athletes. Recent studies indicate that this nutritional strategy’s efficacy may depend on the athlete’s prandial state. Therefore, the main aim of the current study is to determine the effect of CAF mouth rinsing on a battery of soccer-specific tests of soccer players in fasted (FST) or fed states (FED). Thirteen male soccer players (age: 18.1 ± 0.9 years, body mass: 60.1 ± 8.4 kg, height: 174.2 ± 7.3 cm, and body mass index: 20.14 ± 2.7 kg/m2) randomly participated in a randomized, double-blind, Latin square study design. Participants completed four experimental trials while performing eight serial mouth rinses of 750-mg CAF or a taste-matched placebo (PLA) for 15 s and then immediately expectorated. Two trials commenced 2 hr after a high-carbohydrate breakfast (FED), and two trials were performed after an overnight fast (FST). Following the final mouth rinse, sprint test, countermovement jump, Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1, and rating of perceived exertion were measured, respectively. There was a main effect of condition for Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 performance (p = .021), while interaction between Condition × Prandial (p = .671) and the main effect of prandial state (p = .437) was not significant for Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (CAF-FST = 2,155 ± 484 m, PLA-FST = 1,933 ± 549 m, CAF-FED = 2,098 ± 679 m, and PLA-FED = 1,864 ± 535 m). In addition, there was no significant main effect of condition, prandial, and interaction between Condition × Prandial for the sprint test and countermovement jump and the rating of perceived exertion (all p > .5). These data suggest that CAF mouth rinsing increases intermittent running performance in soccer players. This improvement is likely to be similar in the FST and FED states.

4 Curvilinear sprint acceleration-speed profile in youth soccer players is constrained by tighter radii and sprinting side dominance

Reference: J Biomech. 2025 Sep 3:192:112938. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112938. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Ažbe Ribič, Darjan Smajla, Oskar Cvjetičanin, Matic Sašek
Download link: https://pdf.sciencedirectassets.com/271132/1-s2.0-S0021929025X2011X/1-s2.0-S0021929025004506/main.pdf?X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEN7%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FwEaCXVzLWVhc3QtMSJHMEUCIHJvI9yWeXV4bWv9SR1otf2c7oCy61gAERaNDLglI9zpAiEA0y8Not0xw%2BbPVVtM%2FeKdYWsiXk9Pe3%2Fco1lpNOzEXC0qswUIVxAFGgwwNTkwMDM1NDY4NjUiDME%2FWlfZMSEjIR7KaCqQBVegZbOgbzpvQC%2FAcXw1MTtSiWihwTGW3VbnkWsWcahIWXlu5xKsBlguJRX9%2FkMFt%2FjHxVnNUAtcV7xAFmNT5po%2FKfFFHWOqIgeMshEC8CSsRGxlDsxwNfkwtpCHobi4fDGUj9pA0UqUcfXn6jgA%2FW8LWSlrmfBXeoGgkfMypOC16qailt2hkS9U%2BEvlOmspoMe9Z0ZQ%2Bf7HU%2BLbyUPlKUCS0%2FLzSOyi21r7v01mmwAnpPpREA%2FqSbfAsryYAOBxxl5F0KHPbvuRr8blPqOVnCHmQo912YMmF6OyZRSDLBBVsIRwOrWaHJ%2BAFdMpYCBKo4DLkd6DhQL7Zp8dmZ38ALxV4FaFlUFh4sKvOcuGHA5qpQ4PxZawV4b9qKvkW7OphcjOIrotBL4l8aaYhYTkE%2FEpaszT40JTBpMDzKsDeYPHRgLEcraDTf9xiYxi%2BuvsxYbCpBBNhUOpZwUsz%2BWSL2cqv3e2xbmGllLfJ7VOoqbjNmycfrLcFasyz0YVOTlEg3JHPls%2B4ldO44lYDHjk73%2BAS8F657yPOaj1%2FrPiMePcxUEUKd1k2BcHTUql7IH%2FW4bSwfVn5uFcs7%2Bh0NSiTsZRVYnPpoJARxsBwcEiw22jWcWUi6iEVnfhSJ32y1hukFEI38zlusdyIATW%2FZ3TndG1xD4ex1fPc5ghmt8tz%2Bxa8cHp3MgelmZNmY5XkMCAiOlSp8pjs9R9piuMzmcExgxOiIHszQXZt34V0JGmhXXIBMncLHlwiaCDBf9CS4saokX1OIMOmJzAew0twhcIjlM1O8mLIZve39yXkIlMahakcm8SGvHZvX49nxJfcv6x44bdWFCWraXuEVgxhZ3eqjMyY7sc%2FZrm%2BaCIpndPGh9YMPOomcYGOrEB3nNhuVgmvvWWYJvMJMGWa5VM3GA0kOGToF%2Bg0iuW9Iq%2B%2F393y%2FfV%2Bj74oBCCmFCULVLD1v5hiCaRni3QXz8zevPDmjiuhLZ5IIe3PzaMOKn%2Bd9wKlXCN22yw2%2F%2FXdfE6MgDpGJBY3444TFrcSohY9XEjPnhN%2BaVW5J7tAhqwKvHnz9ws5QXdkPu2aj3Q7d%2FLSMHW%2FiwRxOTI0FeueE456aQSIHNITa72wyzkrnoSNTXz&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20250914T073342Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=299&X-Amz-Credential=ASIAQ3PHCVTYSQYY4APH%2F20250914%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=c63482ec632b7ab0319b6ce12849a64f5c4acb757e9e110820854fc2c0546e45&hash=54bbc6d276552f0674e7018deb337a1508aef07b422fa76565d31829ea89b0e8&host=68042c943591013ac2b2430a89b270f6af2c76d8dfd086a07176afe7c76c2c61&pii=S0021929025004506&tid=spdf-4e1eacd6-adc2-4b3e-864a-a47c82368826&sid=000e195c2e194043a0295d88fef86e984090gxrqb&type=client&tsoh=d3d3LnNjaWVuY2VkaXJlY3QuY29t&rh=d3d3LnNjaWVuY2VkaXJlY3QuY29t&ua=04045f5405025d545c&rr=97ee3298dca45d4d&cc=de
Summary: This study investigated how the acceleration-speed profile (ASP) of the weaker and stronger side changes at different radii. Twenty male youth soccer players completed 30 m linear and curvilinear sprints (12.15, 11.15, 9.15, 7.15, and 6.15 m radius) in three training sessions. Sprint speed and acceleration over time and distance were recorded using a GNSS device. The maximum theoretical speed (S0), the acceleration (A0), slope of the ASP (ASslope), the area under the ASslope (ASParea), the acceleration at a sprint speed of 3 m/s (A3), and the curvilinear sprint deficit (ASPdeficit) of the individual sprints were analyzed. The effects of side, radius, and their interaction were evaluated with 2 × 5 ANOVA and the post hoc tests. A significant effect of radius and side was observed for all variables (F ≥ 3.50, p ≤ 0.037, η2 ≥ 0.15). The ASParea and S0 decreased at tighter radii. The A3 and A0 remained relatively unchanged, resulting in a steeper ASslope, and a larger ASPdeficit. At the same radius, the weaker side CS had a smaller ASParea, S0, A3, and a larger ASPdeficit. The ASP of the curvilinear sprint in youth soccer players is side-dependent at both ends (acceleration and top speed), while radii mainly affect late acceleration and top speed performance. These observations should be considered when adapting soccer players‘ sprint training and monitoring external load based on acceleration.

5 Systematic video analysis of ankle sprain injuries in elite male football (soccer): Injury mechanisms, situational patterns, biomechanics and neurocognitive errors study: A study on 140 consecutive players

Reference: Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2025 Sep 9. doi: 10.1002/ksa.70049. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Matthew Buckthorpe, Evert Verhagen, Pieter D’Hooghe, Leonardo Osti, Stefano Di Paolo, Francesco Della Villa
Download link: https://esskajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ksa.70049
Summary: The aim was to describe the mechanisms, situational patterns, biomechanics and neurocognitive errors related ankle sprain injuries of professional male football players during match play. There were 166 consecutive ankle sprain injuries identified occurring during official matches in players of top European football leagues. One hundred and forty (84%) injury videos were analysed for mechanism and situational pattern, with biomechanics on 20 players. Neurocognitive errors were investigated for all noncontact injuries. Three independent reviewers evaluated each video. Ankle sprain injury epidemiology-month, timing within the match and pitch location at the time of injury and time-loss according to sprain type was also documented. More injuries occurred in offensive (n = 89, 64%) than defensive (n = 51, 36%) situations (p < 0.001). Seventy (50%) direct contact, 42 (30%) indirect contact and 28 (20%) noncontact injuries were categorised. There were 67 (48%) inversion, 30 (21%) high ankle, 25 (17%) eversion, 6 with combination of high ankle and eversion (4%) and 12 (9%) unsure injuries. Four main situational patterns were described: (i) being tackled (n = 59, 42%); (ii) tackling/pressing (n = 34, 24%); (iii) landing from a jump (n = 16, 11%) and (iv) sliding (n = 7, 5%). Inversion injuries were associated with internal rotation, while high ankle injuries typically involved toe contact with the ground, slight plantar flexion and foot eversion. A neurocognitive error was documented 59% of noncontact injuries. A similar number of injuries occurred during the 1st (n = 71, 51%) and 2nd (n = 69, 49%) half (p > 0.05). Half of ankle sprain injuries occurred after direct contact, 3 in 10 after indirect contact and only 2 in 10 without contact. Injury prevention practices should consider mechanical perturbation, playing situation and neurocognitive factors when designing programmes.

6 Determinants of Diet Quality in Young Football Players from Poznań, Poland

Reference: Nutrients. 2025 Aug 26;17(17):2760. doi: 10.3390/nu17172760.
Authors: Ewa Bryl, Anna Demuth, Joanna Ratajczak, Urszula Czerniak, Justyna Płoszka, Magdalena Lewandowska, Agnieszka Bilska, Katarzyna Antosiak-Cyrak
Reference: Proper nutrition is crucial for the growth, development, and performance of young football players. Despite higher nutritional needs, physically active adolescents often have a suboptimal diet. This study assessed the diet quality of youth football players aged 11-16 from Poznań, Poland, focusing on the frequency of consuming health-promoting and non-healthy food groups. Participants were Football Championship School students. A total of 78 boys were analyzed and divided into early (11-13 years) and middle adolescence (14-16 years) groups. Dietary behaviours, nutritional knowledge, physical activity, screen time, and family affluence were assessed using a validated questionnaire (SF-FFQ4PolishChildren). The pro-Healthy Diet Index (pHDI) and non-Healthy Diet Index (nHDI) were calculated based on the frequency of food consumption. The key predictors of the pro-Healthy Diet Index (pHDI) were the Cole index (β = -0.39; p < 0.001), subjective self-assessment of dietary habits (β = 0.23; p = 0.023), and the level of nutritional knowledge (β = 0.22; p = 0.030), explaining 25% of the variance in pHDI. In early adolescence, the Cole index was the main predictor (β = -0.51, p < 0.001, R2 = 32%), whereas in middle adolescence, self-assessment of dietary habits (β = 0.49, p = 0.002) and nutritional knowledge (β = 0.34, p = 0.03, R2 = 30) were the strongest predictors. Despite high levels of physical activity and positive self-assessment, only 1.28% of participants met all key criteria for a healthy diet. Screen time was negatively correlated with physical activity and positively associated with energy drink consumption. The results highlight a discrepancy between declared knowledge and actual behaviours, emphasizing the need for targeted, multi-level interventions involving families and coaches to improve dietary practices in young athletes.

7 Injury Pattern According to Player Position in Male Amateur Football Players in Greece: A Retrospective Study

Reference: J Clin Med. 2025 Sep 7;14(17):6320. doi: 10.3390/jcm14176320.
Authors: Konstantinos Vassis, Ioannis Misiris, Spyridon Plakias, Athanasios Siouras, Savvas Spanos, Eleftherios Giamouridis, Zacharias Dimitriadis, Dimitrios Tsaopoulos, Ioannis A Poulis
Summary: Football has a high injury risk due to speed and contact, and injury patterns may vary by playing position. Positional roles affect physical and physiological demands and may influence injury characteristics. Although this has been examined in professionals, data from amateur players are scarce. This study examined the incidence, type, and severity of injuries among amateur footballers in Greece with respect to playing position. A retrospective epidemiological study analyzed musculoskeletal injuries in 222 amateur male football players during the 2022-2023 season. Data were collected via a CHERRIES-compliant online survey (SurveyMonkey®) from May to July 2023. Eligible participants were active male athletes aged ≥18 years competing in amateur Greek leagues. Injuries were defined according to the FIFA-UEFA consensus and expressed as incidence rates per 1000 h of exposure. Statistical analyses used SPSS v25 with significance at p < 0.05.  Among players (mean age: 25.3 ± 5.7 years), injury prevalence ranged from 65.1% (DFs) to 79.3% (GKs) with no significant association between playing position and injury risk (p = 0.379). Injury incidence ranged from 4.5 to 5.7 per 1000 h, highest among MFs. Incidence rates ranged between 1.33 and 2.74 injuries/1000 h in matches versus 1.33 to 2.09/1000 h in training, with DFs, FWs, and MFs more prone to match injuries, whereas GKs had slightly higher training rates; however, the number of injuries did not significantly differ between games and training across positions (χ2 = 5.21, p = 0.517). Muscle strains and lower-limb injuries predominated. Injury severity differed significantly by position (p = 0.001), but injury type and mechanism did not.  GKs and MFs showed the highest prevalence and incidence, but position was not linked to overall risk. Severity differences highlight the need for position-specific prevention strategies.

8 ACL injury timing during matches in professional women’s football: A 208-case analysis from the 2022-2024 seasons

Reference: J Sci Med Sport. 2025 Aug 29:S1440-2440(25)00410-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2025.08.016. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Wyatt Hampstead, Vanessa Crespin, Bradley Wakefield, Matthew Whalan, Ric Lovell, Evangelos Pappas
Summary: This study aimed to analyse the timing of ACL injuries during match play in professional women’s football games. Retrospective analysis of playing time associated with ACL injuries across international competitions and 27 professional leagues between 2022 and 2024. Identification of ACL injuries involved media reports, including online searches for official statements and interviews. Follow-up verification of time within gameplay, including video and substitution minutes, was also conducted. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis assessed the ACL injury risk over playing time; injuries pre vs post 45 min were compared using a one-sample proportion test with continuity correction. Of the 208 ACL injuries captured during an official match, the majority (70 %) occurred within the initial 45 min of play (p < 0.001), with 50 % of injuries within the first 28 min. Survival analysis revealed a declining risk of ACL injury as the game continued, resulting in only a 25 % likelihood of injury occurring in the last 40 min of the game. Most ACL injuries in women’s football occurred within the initial 45 min of effective playing time, particularly between the 15th and 35th minutes. This suggests that early-game intensity, acute fatigue or other factors rather than cumulative fatigue may contribute to ACL injury risk.

9 Hamstring injury risk in male professional football: do external training loads play a role?

Reference: BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2025 Sep 9;11(3):e002649. doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2025-002649. eCollection 2025.
Authors: Tania Nilsson, Dan Fransson, Mats Borjesson, Matilda Lundblad, Andreas Ivarsson
Download link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12421611/pdf/bmjsem-11-3.pdf
Summary: Hamstring strain injury (HSI) is the most common time-loss injury in football and is prone to recurrence. This exploratory study aimed to describe the relationship between short-term external training load (TL) and HSI occurrence in male senior football players at the professional level. TL data in terms of global positioning system (GPS) variables and HSI incidence were collected over four seasons from 25 senior professional football players. GPS variables included total distance (TD), very intense accelerations (>3.00 m/s²), very intense decelerations (<-3.00 m/s²), high-speed running distance (>19.8 km/hour), maximal sprint distance (>29.8 km/hour) and maximal velocity. For each injury case, TL during the 7 and 14 days preceding the injury was compared with matched control periods from the same player. 25 hamstring injuries were included for analysis. Large interindividual variation in TL patterns was observed, with some players exhibiting higher and others lower TL in the periods preceding injury compared with control periods. No consistent group-level trends were identified between injured and control periods. This exploratory study found considerable individual variability in TL prior to HSI and no clear group-level patterns. These findings suggest that short-term TL metrics alone may have limited utility in predicting HSI risk at the group level in professional football players.

10 Diagnostic Pitfalls: Anterior Tibial Stress Fracture in a Professional Football Player – A Case Report

Reference: J Orthop Case Rep. 2025 Sep;15(9):208-212. doi: 10.13107/jocr.2025.v15.i09.6072.
Authors: Zakir Ali Shah, Badr Al Hammadi, Habib Al Ismaily, Abdulla Nidal, Khaled Al Madani, Zainab Al Jawi
Summary: Early stress fractures sometimes go undetected or are misdiagnosed due to unusual subtle symptoms; anterior tibial fractures are mostly tiny unilateral fractures involving the diaphyseal portion of the tibia as a result of repetitive microtrauma as deemed in intense athletes. Incomplete anterior tibial stress fractures are very rare, particularly when they occur bilaterally in football players. Here, we discuss a rare clinical case of a sportsman who presented in our hospital. A 26-year-old professional football player presented to us in July 2024 with bilateral leg pain which worsened on playing football. The plain radiograph showed that the middle part of the left side tibial shaft anteriorly had higher density, while the right side was unremarkable; which was further investigated with computed tomography scan on left side on presentation and magnetic resonance imaging on right side on 3 months follow up. A thorough review of the patient’s history is essential when evaluating persistent leg pain associated with repetitive activities. Our report emphasis importance of early recognition and surgical intervention in seeking rapid return to play and be active especially in athletes.

11 Validation of “ creactability“ scale in football: a Rasch modeling approach

Reference: Front Sports Act Living. 2025 Aug 26:7:1521073. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2025.1521073. eCollection 2025.
Authors: Jhinyi Shin, Jongwon Kim, Miyoung Lee, Won Jae Lee
Download link: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2025.1521073/full
Summary: The aim of this study was to investigate the construct-related validity evidence of the „creactability“ scale, developed for athletes in the sports field, using the Rasch model. The specific aims were (1) each scale measures a unidimensional construct, (2) the scale items investigate the Differential Item Functioning (DIF) base on team group (i.e., the rankings of higher and lower teams), (3) the range of „creactability“ item difficulty and personal ability (respondents „creactability“ levels) are wide enough to assess the „creactability“ changes, and (4) „creactability“ differs across subscales (7 points). For Rasch analysis, data from a total of 241 football players were used from the K-League (Korean Professional Football League), excluding goalkeepers due to their different abilities and roles from other field players. The coaches from 7 teams evaluated their players (34.4 players on average per team). The „creactability“ scale included a total of 9 items, consisting of 3 items each for subfactors (i.e., quickness, creativity, and adaptability) with a 7-point Likert scale. The Rasch model was applied using WINSTEPS Version 5.7.4 and FACETS Version 4.1.8. The results (1) Confirmed the unidimensionality of all 9 items, as their infit and outfit values fell within the range of 0.7-1.3. (2) None of the items in the position scales showed statistically significant DIF (p > 0.05). (3) The Person Separation Index (PSI) criterion value for the „creactability“ scale of football players is 4, which was within a range of 0-7 point. (4) All subscales demonstrated good-fit in both infit and outfit, ranging between 0.69 and 1.28, respectively. The response rate for scales 4-5-6 point was 68%, and the outfit for respondents across all scales were satisfactory at 1.30 or lower. Physical activity (PA) should be maintained or increased, particularly in the context of social distancing measures during the pandemic. To ensure that PA can be sustained, a program should be developed that considers the individual’s geographical location, economic status, lifestyle, and environment.

12 The school of hard knocks: systemic violence and the motivation to harm in boys‘ youth academy football

Reference: Front Sociol. 2025 Aug 25:10:1631118. doi: 10.3389/fsoc.2025.1631118. eCollection 2025.
Authors: Nick Gibbs, Daniel Briggs
Download link: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sociology/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2025.1631118/full
Summary: The ‚beautiful game‘ of football may seem to be a curious artifact of study for this scholarly collection on violence. However, this article will highlight the need to explore the boys‘ English youth academy (YA) football industry as a manifestation of systemic violence and, ultimately, a reflection of the pseudo-pacified neoliberal economy. Embedding our theoretical analysis within emerging literature on harm and violence, this paper will illuminate the dark underbelly of boys‘ elite-level youth football in England, examining the culture and relationships between academy players, YAs as breeding grounds for neoliberal subjectivities, the common practice of granting false hope to a ’supporting cast‘ of boys, and the underpinning inequalities in the elite academy industry. Drawing on data gleaned from thirty-five semi-structured interviews with current professional football practitioners and officials, as well as two former YA players, the work will provide a multifaceted analysis of the baked-in violence of the boys‘ youth academy system. We will argue that we ought to challenge the assumption of harmlessness that currently cloaks the systemic violence of the boys‘ elite game and move beyond interventionitis, in favor of wholesale change.

13 Systematic video analysis of ACL tear patterns in Spanish professional female football players: Neurocognitive errors as targets for prevention

Reference: J Sci Med Sport. 2025 Aug 29:S1440-2440(25)00409-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2025.08.015. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Aaron Miralles-Iborra, Matthew Buckthorpe, Francesco Della Villa, Javier De Los Ríos-Calonge, Jose L L Elvira, Francisco J Vera-Garcia, Juan Del Coso, Victor Moreno-Pérez
Download link: https://www.jsams.org/action/showPdf?pii=S1440-2440%2825%2900409-8
Summary: This study aimed to analyse the mechanisms, injury patterns, biomechanics and neurocognitive factors of anterior cruciate ligament tears in professional female Spanish football players during training and competitive matches. Four hundred and sixty-one players from 16 teams of the Spanish top division (Liga F) were tracked over three consecutive seasons (2021/2022 to 2023/2024). Videos of any confirmed (via magnetic resonance imaging) anterior cruciate ligament tear occurring during training and matches were obtained from the teams and/or TV broadcasting. Three observers independently analysed each video. Thirty-nine anterior cruciate ligament tears were confirmed, and thirty anterior cruciate ligament tears were finally included in the video analysis (matches: 25 injuries; training: 5 injuries). No significant differences were observed for mechanisms and injury patterns during training and matches. Five injuries (13 %) were direct contact, 19 (49 %) indirect contact and 15 (38 %) non-contact. Three main injury patterns accounted for 83 % of injuries: 1) pressing/tackling (42 %); 2) being tackled (26 %) and 3) dribbling (15 %). Two specific tasks were identified accounting for mostly training injuries: small-sided games (56 %) and ball possession games (22 %). Ninety-two per cent of non-contact anterior cruciate ligament tears involved motor-response or attentional inhibition errors. Training and match anterior cruciate ligament tears occurred under similar conditions, predominantly occurring without direct contact, particularly during pressing/tackling, being tackled and dribbling. Small-sided games may represent training activities with a higher risk of anterior cruciate ligament tear.

14 Smoking at football clubs: the Netherlands compared to Germany

Reference: Eur J Public Health. 2025 Sep 9:ckaf156. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckaf156. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Anton E Kunst, Rixt A Smit, Emma S E Schlotz, Julia Keijzer, Andrea D Rozema, Mirte A G Kuipers
Download link: academic.oup.com/eurpub/advance-article-pdf/doi/10.1093/eurpub/ckaf156/64233466/ckaf156.pdf
Summary: Ideally, in a smoke-free generation, children could practice sports in a smoke-free setting. This article studied the prevalence of smoking at football clubs in two countries. An audit at 45 German and 116 Dutch clubs measured smoking prevalence at three places. In the Netherlands, smoking was less common at playing fields (at 25% of Dutch clubs versus 64% of German clubs), but more common at terraces (44 versus 19%) and entrances (20 versus 11%). Despite more comprehensive anti-tobacco policies, smoking at clubs in The Netherlands was as common as in Germany, possibly due to displacement of smoking from fields towards other places.

15 Generalised joint hypermobility and excess knee hyperextension are associated with an increased risk for second ACL injury, but not primary ACL injury, in female football players: A 5-year follow-up

Reference: Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2025 Sep 9. doi: 10.1002/ksa.70011. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Anne Fältström, Joanna Kvist, Martin Hägglund
Download link: https://esskajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ksa.70011
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the association between generalised joint hypermobility, knee hyperextension, knee laxity, and static standing alignment with the risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in a cohort of female football players with an ACL-reconstructed (ACLR) knee and in knee-healthy controls. We prospectively followed 117 female football players with ACLR (age, mean ± standard deviation, 20 ± 2 years; average 19 ± 9 months after ACLR) and 119 knee-healthy players (age, 19 ± 3 years) for 5 years. At baseline, all players were assessed for generalised joint hypermobility (Beighton score), knee extension range of motion, knee laxity (KT-1000, Lachman and pivot shift tests), and static standing alignment (visual assessment graded as varus, valgus or neutral). Log-binomial regression with risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for new ACL injury were calculated. Point biserial and Spearman’s rank correlations were used for correlation analysis of baseline anatomical variables. During the 5-year follow-up, 43 ACLR players sustained a second ACL injury (30 re-ruptures and 13 contralateral ruptures) and 11 knee-healthy players had an index ACL injury. ACLR players with Beighton score ≥5 (RR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.04-2.70; p = 0.035) and knee hyperextension >5° in the non-ACL-reconstructed knee (RR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.02-2.73; p = 0.042) had higher risk of a second ACL injury; knee laxity and static standing alignment were not associated with a second ACL injury (n.s.). No significant associations were seen between baseline variables and index ACL injury in knee-healthy players (n.s.). There was moderate correlation between KT-1000 and the Lachman test (r = 0.594-0.673), and negligible to moderate correlations between other baseline variables. Generalised joint hypermobility and knee hyperextension were associated with an increased risk of second ACL injury in female football players with ACLR. Screening for generalised joint hypermobility and knee hyperextension may inform prevention strategies for female football players after ACL injury.

16 Global cardiac screening practices among youth and adult football players: the FIFA cardiac screening survey

Reference: Br J Sports Med. 2025 Sep 8:bjsports-2025-109949. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2025-109949. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Florian Egger, Andreas Serner, Carolina Franco Wilke, Katharina Grimm, Andrew Massey, Tim Meyer, Aaron L Baggish
Download link: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/bjsports/early/2025/09/08/bjsports-2025-109949.full.pdf
Summary: The aim was to investigate global cardiac screening practices among elite male and female football players. We surveyed all 211 FIFA Member Associations (MAs) between February and July 2024 using a 21-point questionnaire. A total of 165/211 (78%) MAs completed the survey. Cardiac screening was recommended or mandated by 81% (134/165) of responding MAs, with a variation between FIFA Confederations ranging from 33% (3/9 of MAs within the Oceania Football Confederation) to 100% (10/10 MAs within the South American Football Confederation). The majority of MAs use a protocol inclusive of at least medical history, physical examination and 12-lead ECG for adult male (123/134, 92%), adult female (119/134, 89%), youth male (112/134, 84%) and youth female (108/134, 81%) players. The inclusion of echocardiography was more common among adult male (91/134, 68%) and female (84/134, 63%) players compared with youth male (59/134, 44%) and youth female players (59/134, 44%). Among youth players, the age at initial cardiac screening (median age (IQR)=14 (4) years, range: 6-17 years) and the interval of serial screening were highly variable. Routine cardiac screening is widely, but not uniformly, applied across football associations globally. There is considerable variation in cardiac screening practices based on geography and player age, suggesting that standardised global recommendations for cardiac screening in both adult and youth football are needed.

17 What is a recurrence? The onset, frequency and time loss impact of recurrent calf muscle strain injuries in elite male Australian football players over a decade

Reference: BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2025 Sep 3;11(3):e002865. doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2025-002865. eCollection 2025.
Authors: Brady Green, Anthony G Schache, Tania Pizzari
Download link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12410626/pdf/bmjsem-11-3.pdf
Summary: The aim was to evaluate the onset, frequency and time loss impact of recurrent calf muscle strain injuries in elite male Australian football players over a decade. To explore how outcomes are affected by alternative recurrence definitions. Calf muscle strain injuries were reported to the Soft Tissue Injury Registry of the Australian Football League (2014-2023). Cases were categorised as index versus recurrent injuries. Alternate recurrence definitions varied based on: (1) timing (ie, subsequent injuries occurring before or after full recovery (a return to full training) and (2) location (ie, subsequent injuries involving the same side but not necessarily same muscle vs only those confirmed to involve the same muscle). 563 injuries in 359 players were evaluated. Recurrences resulted in ≥2153 total days lost over 10 years and ≥35.6 days lost on average per injury. Recurrence frequencies within 2 years (13%-21.3%), within the same season (7.5%-13.9%) and within 2 months (2.9%-7.3%) varied depending on the definition. 20% of all subsequent injuries occurred before full recovery, and these injuries took on average 46.7±25.6 days to return to play. Recurrent calf muscle strain injuries in elite male Australian football players commonly have prolonged time loss, irrespective of timing or location. A 2-year recurrence susceptibility is consistent across onsets, and cases that fail early can have a large impact when accounted for. We need to ‚talk the same language‘ in research and practice to better understand and prevent recurrences for a given type of injury across different sports and sporting levels.

18 Junior-to-senior transition in elite female football: identifying predominant sources of stress among junior players from both player and coach perspectives

Reference: Front Psychol. 2025 Aug 21:16:1621559. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1621559. eCollection 2025.
Authors: Stian Aa Selbekk, Marthe Sofie Lilleengen, Janita Stålesen, Daniel Ransom, Stig Arve Sæther
Download link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12410097/pdf/fpsyg-16-1621559.pdf
Summary: The purpose of this case study is to gain insight into and a deeper understanding of the predominant sources of stress during the junior-to-senior transition experienced by current and former female junior players and their male coaches from both the junior and senior teams. All three groups of participants were affiliated with the same Norwegian professional football club. In total, we conducted semistructured interviews with 10 female players: five junior elite players (mean age 16.8 years, SD = 0.96) and five senior elite players (mean age 23.4 years, SD = 2.01). In addition, four male coaches from the junior and senior teams (mean age 32.5 years, SD = 3.84) were interviewed. We conducted a thematic analysis of the interviews. The findings revealed that the players experienced several sport stressors. Among the sport stressors, disparities in performance levels between the junior and senior teams, especially during matches, and the higher expectations and demands from their coaches were prominent. Among the non-sport stressors, the struggle to balance football with social life outside the sport was prominent. Since education was the elite female players‘ backup plan, the club and school collaboration was considered important. Taken together, the results indicate a need for facilitating athletes‘ daily lives to support and smooth their transition. On a broader level, this study contributes insights into the junior-to-senior transition in women’s football, an area that remains underrepresented in the research literature.