Morphological and physical fitness differences in young soccer players according to playing position: a systematic review

Authors

  • Pablo Antonio Valdés-Badilla Departamento de Ciencias de la Actividad Física. Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación. Universidad Católica del Maule, Chile.
  • Darlyn Obreque Villagrán Universidad Autónoma de Chile, sede Temuco, Chile.
  • Álvaro Levín Catrilao Universidad Autónoma de Chile, sede Temuco, Chile.
  • Ándres Carimán San Martín Universidad Autónoma de Chile, sede Temuco, Chile.
  • Diego Segura Contanzo Universidad Autónoma de Chile, sede Temuco, Chile.
  • Cristian Núñez-Espinosa Escuela de Medicina. Universidad de Magallanes, Punta Arenas, Chile.
  • Tomás Herrera-Valenzuela Departamento de Ciencias de la Actividad Física y el Deporte. Facultad de Salud. Universidad Santo Tomás, UST, Chile. Departamento de Ciencias de la Actividad Física, el Deporte y la Salud. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Universidad de Santiago de Chile, USACH, Chile.
  • Eduardo Guzmán-Muñoz Escuela de Kinesiología. Facultad de Salud. Universidad Santo Tomás, UST, Chile.
  • Braulio Henrique Magnani Branco Graduate Program in Health Promotion. Universidade Cesumar (UniCesumar), Maringá, PR, Brazil.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14306/renhyd.25.S1.1272

Keywords:

Anthropometry, Body Composition, Exercise, Soccer, Adolescent

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of this systematic review was to analyze the studies that evaluate morphological and physical fitness differences in young soccer players according to playing position.

Material and Methods: For its elaboration, the PRISMA-P protocol was followed, the PubMed/MEDLINE database was used, and the Downs & Black methodological quality assessment was applied. Six studies met all the selection criteria, adding 784 soccer players (229 defenders [DF]; 271 midfielders [MF], 168 forwards [FW] and 69 goalkeepers [GK]) with a mean age of 16.2 years.

Results: The analyzed studies indicate, that GK and DF have a height, body weight, endomorphic component and body fat higher than MF and FW, except for one study that reports higher values for body weight in FW and DF with respect to MF. In relation to physical fitness, the maximum squat exhibited higher values for FW compared to MF; cardiorespiratory fitness was higher in DF and MF when compared with GK and abdominal muscle resistance was greater in MF compared to DF.

Conclusion: The GK and DF show greater height, body weight and body fat than the MF and FW. While physical fitness indicates that FW show greater lower body strength, MF and DF achieve greater cardiorespiratory fitness and MF present greater abdominal muscle resistance when young soccer players are analyzed according to playing position.

Author Biography

Pablo Antonio Valdés-Badilla, Departamento de Ciencias de la Actividad Física. Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación. Universidad Católica del Maule, Chile.

Académico-Investigador del Departamento de Ciencias de la Actividad Física. Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación. Universidad Católica del Maule, Chile.

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Published

2021-10-10

How to Cite

Valdés-Badilla, P. A., Obreque Villagrán, D., Levín Catrilao, Álvaro, Carimán San Martín, Ándres, Segura Contanzo, D., Núñez-Espinosa, C., Herrera-Valenzuela, T., Guzmán-Muñoz, E., & Magnani Branco, B. H. (2021). Morphological and physical fitness differences in young soccer players according to playing position: a systematic review. Spanish Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 25(Supl. 1), e1272. https://doi.org/10.14306/renhyd.25.S1.1272

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