Analysis of the frequency of headers by professional soccer players in the state of Hidalgo
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24310/riccafd.14.1.2025.20494Keywords:
repetitive head impact exposure, soccer heading, impact force, aerial duelsAbstract
Heading and clearing, both in offensive and defensive situations, are crucial actions in soccer that can significantly influence team performance. This study aimed to analyze the frequency and distribution of headers in a professional soccer team during the 2022 Apertura and 2023 Clausura tournaments. Using video analysis through LongoMatch software, 931 heading actions performed by 44 players over 20 matches were recorded. The results revealed that heading incidence was strongly related to player position, with central defenders performing the majority of these actions. Furthermore, a significant correlation was identified between heading frequency and factors such as player age, field zone, heading type, and intention. These findings highlight the importance of tailoring training strategies according to player position to optimize performance, suggesting that more precise planning of this technique may be key to enhancing performance in professional soccer.
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