{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,7]],"date-time":"2026-10-07T17:57:59Z","timestamp":1791395879744,"version":"4.3.3"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"Human Kinetics","issue":"3","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,1]]},"abstract":"\n Monitoring weekly training load (WTL) is essential in youth soccer; however, the influence of contextual factors on WTL during the microcycle remains unclear.\n \n Objective<\/jats:bold>\n <\/jats:italic>\n : The aim of this study was to (1)\u00a0analyze the effect of match-related contextual factors, such as match location, and opponent standard on WTL in elite youth soccer players across a competitive season, and (2)\u00a0compare session and WTLs according to the number of training sessions per microcycle.\n \n Methods<\/jats:bold>\n <\/jats:italic>\n : Training and match data were collected from 46 male soccer players of a Spanish First Division academy. External load variables were obtained using Global Positioning System, including total distance covered, high-speed distance (>18\u00a0km\u00b7h\n \u22121<\/jats:sup>\n ), sprint distance (>21\u00a0km\u00b7h\n \u22121<\/jats:sup>\n ), the number of high metabolic load efforts (>20\u00a0W\u00b7Kg\n \u22121<\/jats:sup>\n ), and player load. Training weeks were categorized based on contextual factors, such as match location, opponent level, and the number of training sessions in the microcycle (3, 4, or 5 sessions per week, W3s, W4s, W5s, respectively).\n \n Results<\/jats:bold>\n <\/jats:italic>\n : WTL significantly increased (\n P<\/jats:italic>\n \u2009<\u2009.05) in sprint distance weeks before playing away compared with playing at home. In reference to the length of the microcycle, W3s showed a significant decrease (\n P<\/jats:italic>\n \u2009<\u2009.01) in WTL than W4s and W5s in all metrics. Additionally, W5s had significantly greater WTL for total distance covered, player load, and power score than W4s (\n P<\/jats:italic>\n \u2009<\u2009.01).\n \n Conclusions<\/jats:bold>\n :\n <\/jats:italic>\n Match location was the only contextual factor affecting WTL, highlighting the importance of considering its impact when planning training load, as it may influence recovery, fatigue, and overall training strategies.\n <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1123\/pes.2024-0098","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,29]],"date-time":"2025-12-29T13:45:57Z","timestamp":1767015957000},"page":"324-331","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Is Weekly Training Load Associated With Match-Related Contextual Variables in Spanish Elite Young Soccer Players?"],"prefix":"10.1123","volume":"38","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0893-5543","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Vicente","family":"de Dios-\u00c1lvarez","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Education and Sports Sciences, University of Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain"},{"name":"Sociedad Deportiva Ponferradina S.A.D., Ponferrada, Le\u00f3n, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1077-4259","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Alexis","family":"Padr\u00f3n-Cabo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Education and Sports Sciences, University of Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5167-5284","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Julen","family":"Castellano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, University of the Basque Country (UPV\/EHU), Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4770-2694","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Ezequiel","family":"Rey","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Education and Sports Sciences, University of Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain"},{"name":"Instituto de Investigaci\u00f3n en Ciencias del Deporte (CIDEGA), University of Vigo, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"100","reference":[{"issue":"2","key":"r1","series-title":"Sci Med Footb","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"117","DOI":"10.1080\/24733938.2017.1282163","article-title":"Quantification of in-season training load relative to match load in professional Dutch Eredivisie football players","volume":"1","author":"Stevens TGA","year":"2017","unstructured":"Stevens TGA, de Ruiter CJ, Twisk JWR, et\u00a0al. 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