{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,19]],"date-time":"2026-03-19T21:09:36Z","timestamp":1773954576884,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,4,1]],"date-time":"2022-04-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1648771200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Large-sided games (LSG) are commonly used in the training contexts for providing either technical\/tactical or locomotor\/physiological stimuli. Despite natural similarities with the official match, the locomotor profile seems to be different, which must be considered by the coaches to identify compensatory strategies for achieving the ideal dose of training. The aim of this study was two-fold: (1) to investigate the locomotor demands imposed by LSGs and the official matches; and (2) to compare the effect of different pitch sizes\u2019 LSG conditions in the locomotor demands. This study followed an observational design. Sixteen professional football players from the same team (26.3 \u00b1 3.0 years old) were included. The study was conducted over four weeks. The same GK + 10 \u00d7 10 + GK play format with different pitch sizes (i.e., area per player ranging between 195 m2 to 291 m2) was analyzed. Three official matches were also collected in which the 10 most demanding minutes were considered for further comparisons. Only the same players who participated in matches were considered in comparison with the LSG. The data were obtained using a 10-Hz global positioning system technology. Total distance (TD) and mechanical work (MW) scores increased 20% and 23%, respectively, between the smallest and biggest pitch sizes (p &lt; 0.001). There was a significant difference in locomotor intensity metrics between opponents from different positions on the table (p = 0.001). The biggest LSG (i.e., 291 m2 per player) was the only one that required similar levels of locomotor intensity as required in the official full match. The present study demonstrates that LSG pitch size variation requires different locomotor intensities. Bigger pitch sizes cause an increase in TD and MW. In addition, considering the position on the table, the level of opponents induces different TD covered. Finally, the largest LSG simulates the official match more accurately.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph19074214","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,4,1]],"date-time":"2022-04-01T21:22:39Z","timestamp":1648848159000},"page":"4214","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["The Relationship between Different Large-Sided Games and Official Matches on Professional Football Players\u2019 Locomotor Intensity"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"19","author":[{"given":"Romualdo","family":"Caldeira","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Madeira, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal"},{"name":"LARSYS, Interactive Technologies Institute, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0927-692X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"\u00c9lvio","family":"Gouveia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Madeira, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal"},{"name":"LARSYS, Interactive Technologies Institute, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal"},{"name":"Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland"}]},{"given":"Andreas","family":"Ihle","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland"},{"name":"Department of Psychology, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland"},{"name":"Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research LIVES\u2014Overcoming Vulnerability: Life Course Perspectives, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9850-7771","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Adilson","family":"Marques","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CIPER, Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Lisbon, 1499-002 Lisbon, Portugal"},{"name":"ISAMB, University of Lisbon, 1499-002 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9813-2842","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Filipe","family":"Clemente","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Escola Superior Desporto e Lazer, Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Viana do Castelo, Rua Escola Industrial e Comercial de Nun\u2019\u00c1lvares, 4900-347 Viana do Castelo, Portugal"},{"name":"Instituto de Telecomunica\u00e7\u00f5es, Delega\u00e7\u00e3o da Covilh\u00e3, 6201-001 Covilha, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1388-9473","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Helder","family":"Lopes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Madeira, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal"},{"name":"Centre for Tourism Research, Development and Innovation, University of Madeira, 9004-509 Funchal, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Ricardo","family":"Henriques","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Mar\u00edtimo da Madeira\u2014Futebol, SAD, 9020-208 Funchal, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8681-0642","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hugo","family":"Sarmento","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Coimbra, Research Unit for Sport and Physical Activity (CIDAF), Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,4,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"199","DOI":"10.2165\/11539740-000000000-00000","article-title":"Physiology of small-sided games training in football: A systematic review","volume":"41","author":"Dawson","year":"2011","journal-title":"Sports Med."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2398","DOI":"10.1519\/JSC.0000000000001700","article-title":"Effects of pitch area-restrictions on tactical behavior, physical, and physiological performances in soccer large-sided games","volume":"31","author":"Esteves","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. 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