{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,19]],"date-time":"2026-05-19T23:29:45Z","timestamp":1779233385563,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,17]],"date-time":"2025-05-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1747440000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JFMK"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: A pre-competition warm-up is considered a key strategy for optimising physical preparedness and potentially reducing injury risks in football. Programmes such as FIFA 11+ have demonstrated efficacy in this regard. Its effectiveness depends on alignment with match demands. This study compares the relative external load demands of warm-ups and matches in semi-professional football players, focusing on positional differences. Objective: The goal of this study was to evaluate whether warm-ups adequately prepare players for match demands and to explore positional variations. Methods: This is a retrospective study that analysed 19 semi-professional male players during the 2023\/2024 season. External load demands (m\/min) were measured using a GPS, covering the total distance (TD), speed zones (DZ1\u2013DZ5), accelerations (ACCs), and decelerations (DECs). Paired t-tests and effect size calculations compared team-wide and position-specific demands. Results: Match demands significantly exceeded warm-up demands across all distance-related variables, except for DZ1 (67.06 vs. 66.40 m\/min for warm-ups and games, respectively). The greatest differences were observed in TD (80.73 vs. 107.12 m\/min; \u221226.39%) and DZ2\u2013DZ3 (\u221217.42 and \u22124.89%, respectively). A positional analysis revealed that concerning DZ1, midfielders covered more distance during competitions (67.62 vs. 65.04 m\/min; \u22122.58%), while full-backs covered more during the pre-competition warm-up (69.01 vs. 66.86 m\/min; 2.14%). Additionally, midfielders, wingers, and forwards experienced higher match demands in DECs (1.04; 1.12, and 1.18 n\u00ba\/min; range = 0.23\u20133.13%), whereas central defenders showed higher values during the pre-competition warm-up (1.14 n\u00ba\/min; 0.13%). No significant differences were found for ACCs across any position; however, central defenders showed higher n\u00ba ACCs during warm-up (1.04 vs. 0.97 n\u00ba\/min). Conclusions: These findings enable clubs and coaches to redesign their warm-up protocols to align as closely as possible with the demands of matches, particularly in high-speed zones, to enhance readiness, thereby increasing the effectiveness of warm-ups in football competitions. Additionally, this approach allows for the individualisation of warm-up routines based on the player\u2019s specific position.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jfmk10020182","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,19]],"date-time":"2025-05-19T05:37:13Z","timestamp":1747633033000},"page":"182","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Differences in the Relative External Load Demands of Pre-Competitive Warm-Ups and Official Matches in Semi-Professional Football Players: A Pilot Study Considering Specific Positions"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"given":"Jos\u00e9 Mar\u00eda","family":"Escudero-Ferrer","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Facultad de Deporte, UCAM Universidad Cat\u00f3lica de Murcia, 30107 Murcia, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6188-9443","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Luis Manuel","family":"Mart\u00ednez-Aranda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Sports and Computer Sciences, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013 Seville, Spain"},{"name":"Science-Based Training Research Group (SEJ-680), Physical Performance and Sports Research Center, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013 Seville, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9384-658X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Manuel","family":"Sanz-Matesanz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Health Sciences, European University Miguel de Cervantes, 47012 Valladolid, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5762-4653","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Konstantinos","family":"Spyrou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Facultad de Deporte, UCAM Universidad Cat\u00f3lica de Murcia, 30107 Murcia, Spain"},{"name":"UCAM Research Center for High Performance Sport (CIARD), UCAM Universidad Cat\u00f3lica de Murcia, 30107 Murcia, Spain"},{"name":"Strength and Conditioning Society (SCS), 30107 Murcia, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9792-6656","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pedro E.","family":"Alcaraz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Facultad de Deporte, UCAM Universidad Cat\u00f3lica de Murcia, 30107 Murcia, Spain"},{"name":"UCAM Research Center for High Performance Sport (CIARD), UCAM Universidad Cat\u00f3lica de Murcia, 30107 Murcia, Spain"},{"name":"Strength and Conditioning Society (SCS), 30107 Murcia, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3570-7159","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Javier","family":"Raya-Gonz\u00e1lez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Grupo de Investigaci\u00f3n en Deporte y Educaci\u00f3n F\u00edsica para el Desarrollo Personal y Social (GIDEPSO), Department of Specific Didactics, Faculty of Education Sciences and Psychology, University of C\u00f3rdoba, 14004 C\u00f3rdoba, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hills, S.P., Barrett, S., Hobbs, M., Barwood, M.J., Radcliffe, J.N., Cooke, C.B., and Russell, M. 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