ORCID

Abstract

Soccer is a complex sport with significant physical, physiological, psychological, technical, and tactical demands on players. This review presents an ergonomics-based model of soccer performance, emphasizing that no single component operates in isolation. Building on the foundational ergonomic framework, this review integrates contemporary evidence on training load monitoring, ecological dynamics, and cognitive-perceptual performance dimensions not systematically addressed in prior frameworks. Elite outfield players cover 9–14 km·h−1 per match, with high-speed running (19.8–24.8 km·h−1) making up about 20% of total distance and sprinting (>25 km·h−1) around 2%. These outputs vary by playing position, tactical formation, possession dynamics, and environmental conditions. Longitudinal data from the English Premier League indicate a 35% increase in high-speed running over the past decade, suggesting intensifying physical demands. Physiological responses, including average heart rates of 156–175 bpm, reflect the aerobic and anaerobic demands on players. The review also examines benchmarks like VO2max, sprint velocity, and anthropometry, highlighting their utility and limitations as performance indicators. Regarding training load management, the review evaluates frameworks such as the Acute:Chronic ratio and high-speed running exposure protocols, noting limitations and risks of over-relying on external load metrics. Periodization approaches, including tactical periodization, are discussed for integrating physical, technical, tactical, and psychological components in training. The proposed ergonomic model conceptualizes elite soccer performance as an emergent property of interacting physical, physiological, tactical, psychological, and environmental subsystems, with direct implications for training design, selection, and load management. Selection decisions should consider cognitive and perceptual competencies like decision-making, anticipation, and situational awareness, alongside physical and physiological profiles, aligned with the team’s game model.

Keywords

ergonomic model, football, physical demands, training load

Publication Date

2026-01-01

Publication Title

Applied Sciences (Switzerland)

Volume

16

Issue

12

Deposit Date

2026-07-27

Funding

This research received no external funding.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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