The Running Performance of Elite Youth Football Players in Matches with a 1-4-3-3 Formation in Relation to Their Playing Position

Abstract

The running performance of football players is influenced by their team’s formation as well as by their playing position. The creation of the external load profile provides information to the coaching staff for personalized loading of the players based on their playing positions. The aim of this study was to create the athletic running profile of high-level football players under 17 years of age (U17) in the 1-4-3-3 formation, and to investigate the differences between the playing positions in the formation. The study involved 20 football players from a football academy of a professional team. For the study, 13 league matches were used in which the team played with the 1-4-3-3 formation. Positions were classified as central defenders (CDs), side defenders (SDs), central midfielders (CMs), side midfielders (SMs), and forwards (Fs). The players’ movement patterns were captured using a GPS device and categorized into six velocity zones (first: 0.1–7.19 km/h, second: 7.2–10.99, third: 11–14.39 km/h, fourth: 14.4–19.79 km/h, fifth: 19.8–25.19 km/h, sixth: >25.2 km/h). The accelerations and decelerations recorded were those exceeding 2 m/s−1. The level of statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. The results showed that CMs exhibited the greatest external load in total distance and in specific distances in the other velocity zones (p < 0.05). Forwards dominated high-intensity efforts, leading in Distance Zone 5 with SD (mean = 555 m and mean = 559 m, respectively), as well as in Distance Zone 6 (F: mean = 146 m) and in high-speed running values (mean = 701 m). Side players, particularly SD and SM, contributed dynamically through elevated high-speed running (p < 0.05) and maximum speed (p < 0.05), reflecting their role in both transitions and positional phases of play. The study’s results clearly show that the physical demands of the playing positions in the 1-4-3-3 formation differ. This difference is likely due to the different tactical roles of each playing position. This variation between playing positions emphasizes the need for individualized loading of players during the training microcycle.