Sprint and High-Speed Running in Soccer:Should We Use Absolute or Normalized Thresholds?
(Ricardo Pimenta, Hugo Antunes, Filipe Maia, João Ribeiro, Fábio Yuzo Nakamura)

The present study compared absolute (ABS) and normalized (expressed as a percentage of maximum speed, %MS) high-speed running (HSR) and sprinting (SPR) thresholds in soccer matches, while also assessing positional differences both among and within playing positions. Twenty-four elite youth male soccer players (age: 19.4 ± 0.9 years, body mass: 75.6 ± 6.8 kg, body height: 1.8 ± 0.06 m) participated in this study. Normalized thresholds were defined for high-speed running as 55–70% MS, 60–75% MS, 70–85% MS, and 75–90% MS, while sprinting was categorized as >90 % MS and >95% MS. For absolute thresholds, ABS-HSR was defined as distances covered at speed >19.8 km/h, whereas ABS-SPR corresponded to distances covered at speeds >25.2 km/h. Significant differences were observed between ABS-HSR and ABS-SPR and all normalized HSR and sprint thresholds (p < 0.001). Both between- and within-position comparisons revealed significant differences in distance covered between ABS and %MS speed bands. Midfielders (MFs) covered greater distances in the 55–70% MS speed interval (601.2 ± 294.7 m; p < 0.001; d = −0.27) compared to ABS-HSR. Interestingly, fullbacks (FBs) and wingers (WGs) demonstrated similar HSR patterns. Moreover, strikers (STs) did not cover distances >95% MS. This research highlights how the normalization approach to quantifying running demands differs significantly from the use of absolute metrics. Additionally, MFs were the only playing position to cover greater distances within a normalized HSR threshold. Furthermore, similar HSR patterns were observed between WGs and FBs.