04 May Association of match running performance with and without ball possession to football performance
Practical Summary for Coaches, Analysts, and Performance Staff:
This study looked at how much running with and without the ball actually matters when it comes to winning in professional football. Using data from four full LaLiga seasons (2015–2019), the research compared the running patterns of 20 teams across over 1,500 matches.
The big takeaway? Running more doesn’t mean winning more. In fact, the league champions ran less overall than most other teams. But here’s the key difference: they ran significantly more with the ball, especially at high speed (≥21 km/h). That’s what separated the top-performing teams from the rest.
Why does this matter for your training sessions and match planning?
- Focus on high-speed actions with the ball: Sprinting with the ball—rather than just covering ground—was linked with success.
- Possession alone isn’t enough: It’s how you move with the ball that matters. Successful teams didn’t just hold possession; they attacked dynamically while having it.
- Physical conditioning matters most when integrated with technical-tactical play: Isolated running drills may not translate into better match performance. Training should simulate match conditions with the ball under pressure and at speed.
- The data also showed that defensive running (without the ball) had little impact on final league position. Efficiency and decision-making when in possession are far more decisive.
From a planning point of view, this suggests rethinking how physical work is designed: less volume, more specificity. Prepare players to make decisive, high-speed actions with the ball during the match moments that really matter.
Even though running with the ball explained only part of the league ranking variance (about 38%), it’s a critical part of the puzzle—especially if your goal is to fight for the top spots or European qualification.
Acces the full article via DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/24748668.2020.1762279