(Bal et al., 2025) This study examined how a 10-week in-season strength training program affected the physical performance and match running demands of young elite female soccer players. Purpose To determine whether adding structured strength training to regular soccer practice…
A project and research publication in partnership with FIFA The rapid increase in professionalism within women’s football has been accompanied by a notable increase in the physical intensity of matches. Despite these advancements, there is a gap in the comprehensive…
What is submaximal testing, and why should you use it? What can it tell us about a player’s fitness? What is the best protocol for my team and sport? These are the questions and topics we explored with renowned sports…
Footballers may not be playing more games, but their time on the pitch has become far more demanding. The sports economists Stefan Szymanski and Guy Wilkinson tested the notion (note: “leading players are playing too many games”) against evidence. They…
Detailed UEFA analysis on the increasing physical outputs of players – outlined in a brand-new Women’s EURO 2025 physical analysis report – which highlights a marked increase in intensity from previous editions of the tournament, as well as comparing the demands placed…
Summary of Mandorino et al. (2025) Relying on running volume as a key performance indicator is not only misleading — it is outdated and should be dropped entirely (Buchheit & Verheijen, 2024; Verheijen, 2025) AI based summery: Background Running distance…
Research examining recovery modalities across different ages and competitive levels reveals which strategies show promise for supporting players’ post-exercise recovery. Understanding the evidence behind common recovery techniques helps practitioners tailor approaches to individual needs and contexts. Our latest systematic…
7 Key Research Papers in Womens Football FIFA’s Female Health Project, in collaboration with Sports Medicine journal, has released a special open-access issue featuring 7 groundbreaking research papers on womens football. These studies cover everything from physical performance benchmarks to…
Monthuley G, Okholm Kryger K, Verhagen E. ACL injury prevention in European women’s football: exploring knowledge, attitudes and practices in a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine. 2025;11:e002558. Abstract Objective; To assess the knowledge, attitudes and behaviours…
Verhagen E, Ferrer E, Antero JDS, Bahtijarevic Z, Barlow A, Bolling C, et al. UEFA consensus statement on menstrual cycle tracking in women’s football. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine. 2025;11:e002769. Abstract Menstrual cycle tracking is increasingly recognised as…