Comparison of physical fitness during the pre-season of finalist and nonfinalist elite female soccer players

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study was to compare the pre-season physical performance of professional female soccer players between finalist and non-finalist teams. Methods: Thirty-two professional female soccer players (finalist group: 16 players; non-finalist group: 16 players) participated in the study. Two weeks after the beginning of the preseason, the players from two different teams that would participate in the same professional competition were submitted to physical performance evaluations such as jumps, a linear sprint in 20 m without and with ball handling, a change of direction in 20 m (COD), and the Yo-Yo IRL1. One of the teams was a finalist, the other did not qualify for the second phase of the competition. Results: The performance in the aerobic endurance test was significantly higher (p = 0.004) in the finalist group (1958.80 Å} 428.79 m) compared to the non-finalist group (1488.80 Å} 428.14 m), showing a large effect size (ES = 1.10). Conclusion: This study suggests that finalist teams have significantly higher levels of aerobic fitness during the preseason. Thus, coaches and coaching staff must consider that aerobic fitness can be decisive in the team's success, emphasizing the process of physical training of this physical capacity in professional women's soccer players.