{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,15]],"date-time":"2026-09-15T00:16:56Z","timestamp":1789431416210,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":45,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,9]],"date-time":"2025-06-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1749427200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100023674","name":"Deanship of Scientific Research, King Khalid University","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["RGP-2\/202\/45"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["RGP-2\/202\/45"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100023674","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n<jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Repeated sprint ability (RSA) is essential for football performance, especially in maintaining high-intensity efforts throughout a match. Repeated sprint training (RST) improves both aerobic and anaerobic capacities; however, its effects on players in different positional roles remain underexplored, particularly with regard to tailored conditioning protocols.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n<jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>This study assessed the impact of on-field RST on physical performance metrics, including aerobic capacity (VO\u2082max), sprint speed (10m DASH), vertical jump height (VJH), and power output, with a focus on positional differences among forwards, defenders, and goalkeepers.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n<jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Forty male football players (aged 18\u201325 years) were purposively sampled and matched by position before allocation into experimental (RST) and control groups. The experimental group completed a structured four-week RST program, while the control group continued routine football training involving technical, tactical, and endurance drills. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included the Cooper Test (aerobic capacity), VO\u2082max, VJH, power output, and 10m DASH.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n<jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>After 4 weeks of RST, significant mprovements were observed in the experimental group. VO<jats:sub>2<\/jats:sub>max increased by 4.4\u2009ml\/kg\/min (95% CI: 2.9 to 6.0; p\u2009&lt;\u20090.001, d\u2009=\u20091.31), and 10m sprint time decreased by 0.32 seconds (95% CI: -0.45 to -0.19; p\u2009&lt;\u20090.001, d\u2009=\u20091.36) in forwards. VJH improved significantly (p\u2009&lt;\u20090.001) among defenders (\u0394\u2009=\u20093.44\u2009cm, 95% CI: 1.76 to 5.12, d\u2009=\u20091.06), while power improvements were most notable in defenders (\u0394<jats:bold>\u2009=<\/jats:bold>\u200943.44W, 95% CI: 28.62 to 58.26, d\u2009=\u20091.00). Goalkeepers showed modest, non-significant improvements. Significant positional differences were identified for VJH and power output (p\u2009&lt;\u20090.001).<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec005\">\n<jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>RST significantly enhanced physical performance metrics, particularly for forwards and defenders. The findings emphasize the importance of positional specificity in training programs to optimize football performance.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0323573","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,9]],"date-time":"2025-06-09T17:50:32Z","timestamp":1749491432000},"page":"e0323573","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Impact of on-field repeated sprint training on aerobic fitness and anaerobic performance in football athletes: A matched-pair design"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"20","author":[{"given":"Ramita","family":"Gupta","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8424-7163","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Moattar Raza","family":"Rizvi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ankita","family":"Sharma","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shweta","family":"Sharma","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Abdul Rahim","family":"Shaik","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2903-9198","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Mohamed K.","family":"Seyam","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shahid","family":"Raza","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mastour Saeed","family":"Alshahrani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Batool Abdulelah","family":"Alkhamis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-8626-944X","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Hani Hassan","family":"Alnakhli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lama Moraya","family":"Alsalm","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fuzail","family":"Ahmad","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6012-9207","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Irshad","family":"Ahmad","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,9]]},"reference":[{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0323573.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"222","DOI":"10.1055\/s-2006-924294","article-title":"Performance characteristics according to playing position in elite soccer","volume":"28","author":"V Di Salvo","year":"2007","journal-title":"Int J Sports Med"},{"issue":"7","key":"pone.0323573.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"665","DOI":"10.1080\/02640410500482529","article-title":"Physical and metabolic demands of training and match-play in the elite football player","volume":"24","author":"J Bangsbo","year":"2006","journal-title":"J Sports Sci"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0323573.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1048","DOI":"10.1139\/H09-111","article-title":"Repeated-sprint ability in professional and amateur soccer players","volume":"34","author":"E Rampinini","year":"2009","journal-title":"Appl Physiol Nutr Metab"},{"issue":"8","key":"pone.0323573.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"673","DOI":"10.2165\/11590550-000000000-00000","article-title":"Repeated-sprint ability - part I: factors contributing to fatigue","volume":"41","author":"O Girard","year":"2011","journal-title":"Sports Med"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0323573.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"313","DOI":"10.1007\/s40279-013-0029-x","article-title":"High-intensity interval training, solutions to the programming puzzle: Part I: cardiopulmonary emphasis","volume":"43","author":"M Buchheit","year":"2013","journal-title":"Sports Med"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0323573.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"830","DOI":"10.1519\/JSC.0000000000001139","article-title":"Effect of Small-Sided Games and Repeated Shuffle Sprint Training on Physical Performance in Elite Handball Players","volume":"30","author":"A Dello Iacono","year":"2016","journal-title":"J Strength Cond Res"},{"key":"pone.0323573.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"183","DOI":"10.2478\/hukin-2019-0040","article-title":"Short-Term Repeated-Sprint Training (Straight Sprint Vs. 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