TY - JOUR AU - Kubayi, Alliance PY - 2021/12/20 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - Position-specific physical and technical demands during the 2019 COPA America Football tournament JF - South African Journal of Sports Medicine JA - SA J Sports Med VL - 33 IS - 1 SE - Articles DO - 10.17159/2078-516X/2021/v33i1a11955 UR - https://journals.assaf.org.za/index.php/sajsm/article/view/11955 SP - AB - <p><strong>Objective:</strong> The purpose of the study was to examine the physical and technical characteristics of football players according to specific playing positions at the 2019 COPA America tournament.</p><p><strong>Methods:</strong> A total of 180 match observations from 13 games were monitored using the InStat tracking system. Players were grouped into the following five playing positions: central defenders (n = 45), wide defenders (n = 46), central midfielders (n = 50), wide midfielders (n = 17), and forwards (n = 22).</p><p><strong>Results:</strong> Descriptive statistics (means ± standard deviations) and a one-way analysis of variance were used to analyse the data. Findings showed the total distance covered by central midfielders (10553 ± 763) was significantly (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.01) higher than central defenders (9226 ± 720 m; ES: 1.79), wide defenders (9929 ± 633 m; ES: 0.89) and forwards (9383 ± 820 m; ES: 1.45). Wide midfielders (214 ± 170 m), wide defenders (152 ± 199 m) and forwards (138 ± 94 m) covered greater distances sprinting than central defenders (67 ± 42 m; ES: 1.19, 0.59, 0.98) and central midfielders (91 ± 66 m; ES: 0.95, 0.41, 0.58). Concerning technical variables, central midfielders played significantly more passes compared to players in other playing positions (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.01). In relation to crossing, wide defenders completed significantly more crosses than players in other positions (<em>p </em>&lt; 0.01).</p><p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> These findings have direct implications for tailoring tactics so players can meet the physical and technical demands of the game.</p> ER -