Activity profiles of full-match and substitution players in the 2018 FIFA World Cup

ABSTRACT In order to better understand the intensity of match activities of full-match and substitution football players, running performance of 527 players who generated 1167 match observations in the 2018 FIFA World Cup were analysed. Differences in activity profiles between groups (1st and 2nd half full-match, early and late substitutes) were quantified by the generalised mixed linear modelling. Results showed that: (1) Full-match players presented trivial changes (ES: 0.09–0.20) in the time spent (% of total playing time) and distance (m/min) covered at high intensity but substantial descents (ES: 0.33–0.61) at moderate and low intensity from the 1st to the 2nd half. (2) Early substitutes achieved substantially higher (ES: 0.27–0.65) numbers in time spent and distance covered at high and moderate intensity, but lower (ES: 0.27–0.46) numbers in walking and jogging time and distance than 1st and 2nd half full-match players. (3) Late substitutes achieved substantially higher (ES: 0.28–1.26) numbers in time spent and distance covered at high and moderate intensity but substantially lower (ES: 0.39–1.06) numbers in top speed (km/h), walking and jogging time and distance than 1st and 2nd half full-match players and early substitutes. Results of this study could provide insights to the design of post-match conditioning sessions.