Holistic Workload Quantification within a Professional Soccer Microcycle Considering Players’ Match Participation

Abstract

This study analyzed workload variations (internal, external, and mental) in training sessions based on soccer players’ match participation. Thirty-six professional Brazilian players from a single team were categorized into three groups: starter (G1), non-starter (G2) and non-participant (G3) players. Monitoring during sessions involved assessing internal load via perceived exertion, mental load through affective, emotional, and motivational factors, and external load using Global Positioning System devices. On MD+2, starter players exhibited significantly lower values in all categories compared to non-starters (p < 0.001) and non-participants (p < 0.001), while on MD, they displayed the highest values. MD-4 and MD-3 showed no cognitive or emotional load differences; however, variations were observed in RPE, motivation, mental fatigue, and physical metrics. Notably, starters’ lowest values occurred on MD-2 and MD-1. Findings emphasize the need to manage starter players’ load, implementing recovery strategies for optimal performance. Additionally, tailored tasks should be provided for non-starter and non-participant players to compensate for non-performed efforts during match downtime. This study underscores the significance of an individualized training approach based on players’ match participation, contributing valuable insights for optimizing performance and recovery strategies.