Every team still competing in the Fifa World Cup is determined to get their hands on football’s ultimate prize. But willpower isn’t everything. Success on the pitch also depends on the players’ abilities to run for long distances, including high-intensity bursts and occasional short sprints.
Our new research shows that footballers can be categorised into two distinct running styles that we’ve dubbed “grizzlies” and “gazelles”. These findings have clear implications for developing unique training programmes that optimise the performance of either type of player.
