The Health Side of a Typical Soccer Match
A typical professional soccer match consists of ten players plus the goalkeeper from each team. Regulation time is 90 minutes total, split into two 45-minute halves.
A pro soccer match is hard on the player's body. The average distance a single player covers is between six and eight miles per match. The distance and intensity of the game varies with each position. For example, defenders run at higher intensity levels than strikers because they're trying to give their teammates the best possible chance to score. Players are also less inclined to high-intensity running when their team is in possession of the ball.
Team formation also plays a role in how fast and far a player runs.
For example, in a 4-4-2 formation, the players are more evenly spaced out, and the positions are more balanced; each player may run around the same amount.
In a 4-2-3-1 formation, the right and left forwards would run more and possibly harder than the center/defensive midfielders
Soccer is not typically thought of as a contact sport by those who don't follow it, but when you really think about it, it is. The contact is not made with the hands; it's made with the rest of the body, from tackling with the shoulder to tripping an opponent, jumping, and heading the ball. Depending on the way a player is heading the ball, there could be a chance of a concussion. There's a difference between a player heading a ball into the net and trying to head the ball away from the opponent, winding up in a literal head-to-head collision. An example of a severe and rare occurrence happened a few years ago when a Manchester City player's face rammed into an opposing player's shoulder. This resulted in an eye socket fracture.
However, the more common injuries suffered on the field involve the knee. Players need a strong knee to be able to pivot, jump, tackle, and run. Probably the most common injury is one to the anterior cruciate ligament or ACL. The ACL is located behind the patella, which is the boney part of the knee. The ACL connects the thigh bone to the shin bone, helping to stabilize the knee. When a player has an injury to their ACL, typically, they would hear or feel a popping sensation accompanied by pain and swelling. There are three grades to an ACL injury:
Grade 1: the ACL is just overstretched. It's a cause for concern, but it's not too big of a deal.
Grade 2: not only is it overstretched, but it's become loose. Think of a rubberband that's been stretched and used so many times it's become loose. In this stage, it's also partially torn. It's the most uncommon diagnosis.
Grade 3: this is where the ACL tears in half. It's the most severe. The ligament can no longer function properly. This severity of injury could potentially be career-ending.
What causes an ACL injury? There are a variety of reasons this type of injury happens, including the following:
- sudden stops
- landing awkwardly during a tackle
- an abrupt change in direction
Treatment may include rest, ice, compression, and elevation. If it's bad enough, the player may need surgery. With a grade 3, a surgeon can't sew the ACL back together. They have to put a graft in, typically from a tendon in the individual's own body like a hamstring. In the end, treatment will depend on the severity.
You'll hear sometimes that players are on the "wrong side of 30"; this means they're 30 years old or older. The older a person is, the higher the risk of getting injured. And the older a player is, the harder it is to bounce back from an injury. If you've ever noticed, it takes an adult longer to recover from a broken bone than a child. Same concept.
The severity of any injury will depend on many different factors, such as where the injury is, how it occurred, the position of the player, and their age. That's why it's critical for teams to implement injury prevention strategies, which could mean giving an older player less time on the field. As soccer has evolved over the years, we're seeing players having longer careers and fewer injuries overall. Los Angeles FC's Italian defensive player Giorgi Chiellini is still active and is about to turn 39. For the oldest player in MLS, he’s only had one injury since joining LAFC last July. Who knows, maybe one day we'll see our favorite players out on the pitch well into their 40s.