Women Football Players Research Articles

Menstrual cycle performance barriers experienced by elite women football players and their management strategies applied: A semi-structured interview-based study

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to investigate the barriers experienced by elite women football players due to their menstrual cycle, and coping strategies utilised against these barriers. Fifteen elite women footballers from two English Women’s Super League clubs (age: 25.2 years [18–33]) were interviewed using semi-structured interviews, developed using piloting and peer review. Data was audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically using NVivo. Analysis of 27,438 words unveiled key themes: internal barriers, external barriers, coping strategies, and player needs. Fear of leakage, associated with kit colour (n = 15) and lack of effective sanitary products (n = 12), and injury anxiety (n = 7), associated with ACL injury (n = 5), were the most common barriers. To combat these issues, players use internal (feeling fortunate n = 9) and external (support from teammates n = 6; support from club staff n = 4) coping strategies. The findings indicated that menstruation presents significant barriers to players. Increased awareness of menstruation-related barriers to performance and targeted intervention are achievable through staff and player involvement and by minimising concerns of visible leakage by kit interventions.

WOMEN’S FOOTBALL FROM THE PLAYERS’ PERSPECTIVE

Background: Women’s football is known to be played at professional level in a lot of countries. In Romania, women started playing football in unofficial matches in 1960, and only after 30 years, in 1990, the Women’s National Football Team was founded. Being a very competitive and accessible sport and taking account of his multiple benefits, women's football became more and more solicited by the students of the University of Bucharest. Objectives: Due to its importance and recent evolution and because we find it attractive, we decided to make women’s football the main subject of this presentation. Along with the theoretical part of this project, we administered a questionnaire to some former/actual women's football players in order to find out their personal perspective related to this sport. Purpose: Understanding the benefits that come along with this sport, how it has been promoted and how accessible they think it is to women. Moreover, we want to link the answers and experience of others, to our own experience in this wonderful sport. Methods: For our study we have asked 24 female subjects aged 13 to 22 years old, out of which 13 are professional players and 11 are amateurs. Our questionnaire is made up of 14 questions, which together highlight the personal perspective regarding the practice of women's football, from three different directions: benefits, promotion and accessibility. Results: In the past years, regardless the area we may refer to (professional, academic, amateur), a fast evolution can be noticed in all three main directions we have researched (benefits, promotion, accessibility). Our research shows that most of the players who have been encouraged by their family or friends to play football kept playing at a professional level. On the other hand, those that were not supported by their family, have lost their enthusiasm, and now they only play for fun or not at all. Conclusions: From a really long list of sports, we chose to play football in college because it is a big and important part of our lives even though we did not choose to do this professionally. Analyzing the answers from the questionnaire, we can conclude that players benefited a lot by playing football, most of them saying that their lifestyle has improved dramatically since they started practicing this sport.

Monitoring hip adductor strength in professional women's football players over a season: A prospective study

ObjectivesTo describe the changes in hip adductor strength of professional women's football players over a season. DesignOne-season prospective study. SettingFacilities of a national first division club. ParticipantsProfessional women's football players. Main outcome measuresMaximum hip adductor isometric strength in the long-lever and short-lever positions at four timepoints: early preseason, early season, mid-season, and end-season. ResultsTwenty-two players completed the study. Hip adductor strength values in early preseason (134 ± 29 N in the long-lever position and 317 ± 68 N in the short-lever position) were significantly lower than in the early season (171 ± 29 N and 363 ± 54 N) and mid-season (163 ± 23 N and 369 ± 53 N). By the end of the season (150 ± 19 N and 345 ± 39 N), strength values had significantly declined from both early and mid-season levels. Visual inspection of individual athletes' strength evolution over time reveals heterogeneous responses, with some players showing trajectories opposite to the group at specific time points. ConclusionsHip adductor strength increased from the preseason to the start of the women's football national league, remained stable during the first half of the league, but slightly declined in the second half. The heterogeneous responses among athletes underscore the importance of individualized monitoring throughout the season.

Match workload and international travel associated with (ACL) injuries in professional women's football.

Women's football has grown in popularity, competitiveness and professionalism, increasing the demands placed on players and their injury risk. This study aimed to identify differences in the match workload and international travel between injured and non-injured professional women's footballers. The study was conducted as an observational, retrospective, case-control study over two football seasons (2021/2022 and 2022/2023) in four top-tier European women's football leagues. Fifty-eight professional women football players (81 injuries) formed the injury group and were matched with 81 elite women football players (162 non-injuries), from the same league, to form the control group. For each injury, cumulative match workload (minutes played, appearances, days between matches, rest) and international travel (distances, time, time zones crossed) were calculated over a 28-day period preceding the injury, for both the injured players and matched controls. The injured group had a higher number of instances of less than 5days between matches compared to the controls (p=0.03, effect size=0.3, small). The anterior cruciate ligament injury group made more appearances (p=0.09, effect size=0.8, moderate), had more instances of less than 5days between matches (p=0.09, effect size=0.8, moderate) and had less rest time (p=0.12, effect size=0.8, moderate) than the control group. No meaningful differences were observed between the hamstring injury group and the control group. These findings underscore the importance of careful consideration when developing match fixture schedules in elite women's football, particularly concerning the number of matches scheduled in a short period. Strategies to increase rest and recovery are recommended to safeguard players against injuries.

Differences in technical performance of heading between men and women football players in FIFA World Cup 2022™ and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ matches

Differences in technical performance of heading between men and women football players in FIFA World Cup 2022™ and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ matches

Physical performance and technical specific skills of women football players with cerebral palsy

This study aimed to determine the physical performance profile (ability to change direction, vertical and horizontal jump, sprint ability, and dribbling-specific skills) of the first women football players with cerebral palsy (CP) who participated in an international CP football competition, accounting for their sport classes. We also examined the relationships between the different physical performance variables. Forty-five female players with CP (24.9 ± 7.5 years) were categorised into three sport classes based on their impairment severity: 19 were FT1 (severe impairments); 21 FT2; and 5 FT3 (mild impairments). Various physical performance tests were conducted, including the 505 change of direction test; vertical and horizontal jumps; 10 m sprint test; and the dribbling speed test. Significant correlations were observed between the change of direction ability, sprint (r = 0.89; p < 0.01), and dribbling tests (r = 0.71; p < 0.01), as well as between horizontal jump and sprint time (r = − 0.74; p < 0.01). FT1 players demonstrated poorer performance compared to FT3 in the 505 test and standing broad jump (p < 0.05; dg = −1.79 and 1.22 respectively), but also lower vertical jump heights (p < 0.05; dg = −0.91 to −1.57) and increased time required for sprint (p < 0.05; dg = 0.88 to 1.16) and dribbling tests (p < 0.05; dg = 0.85 to 1.44) compared to both FT2 and FT3 players. These findings offer valuable insights into the physical performance characteristics of female footballers with CP, which can guide training and sport enhancement programs for this unique para-sport population.

Differences in the technical performance of heading between men and women football players during FIFA World Cup 2022 and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 matches

ObjectivesTo compare the incidence of headers, attempted headers, and other head impacts, and the difference in heading descriptors, including technical performance, between men and women in a purposive sample of...

Hip adduction and abduction strength in different test positions and their relationship to previous groin injuries in women footballers

ABSTRACT Hip strength has been shown to influence the incidence of injury in women’s football. The first objective of our study was to examine the differences in isometric strength of the adductors and abductors between two test positions (0° vs. 45° hip angle). Our second objective was to verify the sensitivity of the two test positions in discriminating between women footballers with and without a history of groin pain in the last twelve months. One hundred and one elite players from the Slovenian women’s football league were tested. The isometric strength of the adductors, abductors, and the ratio between hip abductor and adductor strength in two different test positions were assessed. We found statistically significant differences (p < 0.05; effect size range 0.12–0.13) between the two test positions in hip adduction, abduction strength, and abductor/adductor strength ratio. The ROC analysis showed that only the abductor/adductor strength ratio at the 0° hip angle position can differentiate between players with and without a history of groin pain, with an optimal cut-off point of ≤ 1.01 (p < 0.05; AUC = 0.734). The results should help practitioners plan hip strength training for returning to sport or preventing groin pain among women football players.

ANALYSIS OF TECHNICAL-TACTICAL ACTIONS OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED WOMEN FOOTBALL PLAYERS IN INTERNATIONAL MATCHES

This article investigates the scope of technical-tactical actions of highly qualified women football players in international matches. The conducted survey revealed an insufficiently high level of volume and effectiveness of technical-tactical actions of women football players of national team.

Studying professional women footballers: A reflexive commentary on being benched from recruitment

In this reflexive commentary we provide critical reflections on the challenges of recruiting professional women football players as experienced by the researchers. We posit that the same social, systemic inequities that make continued study of women's professionalized sport so important, also generate challenges to recruiting women athletes. As we share our reflections on the difficulties we experienced throughout our recruitment process, we hope to illuminate challenges and strategies to advance sport research with professional women athletes and answer calls to amplify marginalized voices across sport studies. Namely, we identify three (inaccurate) outsider researcher assumptions that contributed to our recruitment challenges related to social, systemic inequities: (a) many professional women football players will (at some point) secure a financial sponsorship deal, (b) the football club staff would be our gatekeepers, and (c) women's football has professionalized working conditions, resources, and support. We argue that it is important to understand the challenges and gatekeepers that researchers encounter while studying professional women's sport, to address gender inequities while working towards a more socially just landscape.

Anthropometry and Physical Features of Bangladeshi Women National Level Kho-Kho and Football Players: A Frank Comparison

Introduction: In Bangladesh Football is the most popular ball game but Kho-Kho is not that popular like Football. Kho-Kho is a popular Game in India but day by day it is becoming popular in Bangladesh. Major muscle groups are used in these two games because both games involve running, driving, jumping, swinging, and hand motions. Methods: Forty national-level women Football players and forty national-level women Kho-Kho players were studied in the present study. The average age is between 14 to 21 years and the training age is between 2 to 6 years. All the anthropometric measurements and body mass were carried out with proper guidelines. Results: The average leg length for Female Kho-Kho players is 89.14 ( ±4.44 cm) and that of Female Football players is 86.92 ( ±8.91) cm. The average leg length of women Kho-Kho players is 2.22 cm higher than the average leg length of women Football players which is statistically significant. There is also a significant difference (p ≤0.05) when average BMI is compared. The average fat percentage of Women Footballers is slightly higher than the average Fat % of women Kho-Kho players where the average fat percentage of women football players is 22.09 % ±4.05 and that of Kho-Kho players is 22.01 ±4.01. Conclusion: The Bangladeshi national-level women Kho-Kho players have better physiques than the national women Football players whereas the body composition of both groups is very close.

The Growing Importance of Women in Portuguese Football and in the Sports Press

This study aims to investigate the processes of change in valuing women's participation in the world of football, as well as their recognition by sports journalism. The initial research question was: "What difficulties do women encounter in gaining acceptance in the world of football and in sports journalism in Portugal?". The main objectives were: 1) To analyse the role of women football players in Portugal; 2) To understand the position of women's football in Portugal; 3) To find out how Portuguese sports journalism treats women's football; 4) To investigate the role of communication in publicising women's football in Portugal; 5) To understand the perception of women's football in Portugal. In order to achieve these objectives, the methodology involves carrying out an exploratory empirical study based on analysing the content of the main Portuguese sports newspapers and applying a questionnaire survey to the Portuguese population in general. The main aim of analysing the sports newspapers is to find out how Portuguese sports journalism treats women's football and how regularly and relevantly women's football is covered in the news. In turn, the questionnaire survey seeks to understand the perception, acceptance and information that the Portuguese population has about women's football. The results obtained were very enlightening, showing that women's football in Portugal still needs a lot of development and acceptance and that the mass media is blamed for the lack of publicity and promotion of women's football in Portugal, which means that the majority of the population has no knowledge or information about what goes on in women's football. On the other hand, it was also possible to ascertain that there is still a certain stigma regarding women's football, denoting the existence of prejudice and unequal treatment, as reflected in its presence in sports journalism.

Genes Associated with Muscle, Tendon and Ligament Injury Epidemiology in Women’s Amateur Football Players

Background: There is a lack of specific genetic studies regarding injuries in women’s football. However, different genetic factors have been associated with tendon/ligament injuries in women football players. The aim of the study was to examine the genotypic frequencies of genes associated with injury risk and epidemiology in women’s amateur football players and the aetiology of injuries. Methods: In total, 168 women’s amateur football players from football clubs in the Spanish second division league and Caucasian descent were enrolled in this prospective observational cross-sectional study. AMPD1 (rs17602729), ACE (rs4646994), ACTN3 (rs1815739), CKM (rs8111989) and MLCK (rs2849757 and rs2700352) polymorphisms were genotyped. The characteristics of 169 non-contact injuries during the 2022/2023 season were classified following the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Consensus Statement for reporting injuries as follows: musculoskeletal, tendon/ligament, injury setting; and severity. The disequilibria of polymorphisms were estimated using the Hardy–Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE). The characteristics of the injuries were recorded, and the genotype characteristics were analysed. The genotype frequencies of all polymorphisms were compared between non-injured and injured football players and injury aetiologies. Results: The AMPD1 genotype distribution differed between tendon/ligament injured and non-injured (p = 0.003) with a higher frequency in the TT genotype and T allele. The genotype distribution was different for the CKM and MLCK c.37885C&gt;A polymorphisms in training and match injuries (p = 0.038 and p = 0.031, respectively). In the ACTN3 and AMPD1 polymorphisms, the distribution of the TT genotype in both genes showed a higher frequency in severe injuries (all p &lt; 0.001). Conclusions: Tendon/ligament injury epidemiology in women’s amateur football players was associated especially with the TT genotype of the AMPD1 gene. The TT genotype of the AMPD1 and ACTN3 genes was also associated with severity, and the CKM and MLCK polymorphisms were associated with injury settings.

AFLW and the gender gap: an analysis of public attitudes towards the Women’s Australian Football League

ABSTRACT Objective The introduction of the Women’s Australian Football League (AFLW) has highlighted the inequality faced by women football players (e.g., season length), with the consumerism and fanbase of the women’s AFL lacking comparatively with the men’s league. The paucity of research into the AFLW and attitudes towards women’s sport, limits our understanding of the predictors of these attitudes. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to investigate the factors that may influence the development of attitudes towards the AFLW. Method Data were collected from a community sample (N = 171), to evaluate attitudes towards both AFLW consumerism, and the endorsement of gender equality within the AFL. Results Results revealed that basic demographic factors were influential in attitude development (i.e., age, gender), however the most prominent predictor of attitudes towards the AFLW was gender role ideology, suggesting that beliefs about gender roles may influence anti-AFLW attitudes. Conclusions The findings reflect an ongoing perception of sport as a masculine space, and as such, a need to adjust marketing approaches to frame the AFLW in a manner that encourages consumer behaviour. Future research directions are discussed.

‘Women play football, not women’s football’: the potentials and paradoxes of professionalisation expressed at the UEFA women’s EURO 2022 Championship

This article examines the potentials and paradoxes of professionalisation in women’s football expressed at the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 Championship. Through an event ethnography during the semi-finals of the championship, five potentials related to the professionalisation of women’s football are identified, each of which are accompanied by a paradox. First, UEFA’s marketing raised expectations of the event despite the lack of visibility of the championship in the host cities. Second, record-breaking attendance signalled increased popularity, while UEFA’s choice of smaller stadiums and lower ticket prices limited any commercial potential. Third, increased commercialisation efforts align with developmental trends in men’s football, while gender stereotypes portrayed in commercialised products pose an equality-related paradox. Fourth, the implementation of VAR highlights a commitment to the professionalisation of women’s football, but limited resources impact the quality of the technology. Finally, the diversity of spectators fosters inclusivity, yet stadium designs do not support such diversity. Collectively, these potentials demonstrate a growing recognition and investment in women’s football and reflect the development of commercialisation and professionalisation. However, the paradoxes associated with these potentials indicate that there is still some way to go in terms of providing equal opportunities for men and women football players in Europe.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors Toward the Menstrual Cycle and Menstruation Among Elite African Women Football Players, Coaches, Health Personnel, and Referees

Despite cross-cultural differences in knowledge and attitudes toward menstruation, most studies on menstruation in women’s sport have been conducted in high-income countries, such as in Europe, and none have been conducted in Africa. The aim of this study was to explore the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of African elite women football players, and their support personnel toward the menstrual cycle and menstruation. An anonymous questionnaire was distributed to all participants (n = 564) at two African women football tournaments. Ultimately, 238 women football players, 44 coaches, 18 health personnel, and 17 referees completed it. From 317 questionnaires analyzed, 17%, 27%, 56%, and 0% of players, coaches, health personnel, and referees, respectively, knew at least one menstrual cycle hormone; 91%, 95%, and 100% of players, coaches, and referees, respectively, did not know at least one menstrual cycle phase. Over 70% of health personnel believed that menstruation negatively affects women’s performance in sports compared with 36% of players; 18%, 28%, and 18% of players, health personnel, and referees, respectively, believed that, for convenience, the menstrual cycle should be changed by drugs like contraceptives; and 54%, 61%, 62%, and 40% of players, coaches, health personnel, and referees, respectively, were confident providing advice about the menstrual cycle to teammates. Minimal knowledge of the menstrual cycle has implications on the development of menstrual cycle considerate training environments and educational materials in African women’s football. Furthermore, the relatively low perceived effect of the menstrual cycle on sporting performance and belief in the use of contraceptives may be attributable to differences in community-level religiocultural and social contexts which influence menstrual experiences, and shape behavioral expectations.

Relationship among selected anthropometric physical fitness and physiological variables on skill performance of women football players

Relationship among selected anthropometric physical fitness and physiological variables on skill performance of women football players

‘More than likely the men come first. That’s just very frustrating’. A qualitative exploration of contextual factors affecting the implementation of injury prevention initiatives and the provision of effective injury management in elite-level women’s club football in Ireland

ObjectivesThe aim of our study was to explore the contextual factors that affect the implementation of football injury prevention initiatives and the provision of effective injury management in the Irish...

Cognitive Function among Young Women's Football Players in the Summer Heat.

Recently, there has been a growing focus on studies related to women's football. However, the cognitive function of female football players has not been extensively characterized. Thus, we explored how the cognitive function of female football players was altered during a series of matches in summer and examined day-to-day variations in cognitive function with regard to dehydration status. Resting cognitive function was assessed from 17 young women football players during the Japan Club Youth Women's football tournament, which spanned eight consecutive days. Cognitive function initially improved, with this improvement sustained throughout the tournament. It is worth noting that ten participants experienced symptoms of dehydration at least once during the tournament; however, these symptoms were not found to be linked to impaired cognitive function, suggesting that resting cognitive function remains unaffected during summer matches, even in the presence of dehydration symptoms.

Pay and Performance in Men’s and Women’s Football: Comparing the MLS and NWSL

Abstract: The purpose of this research is two-fold; first, to assess whether men and women football players “perform the same work,” as required for wage discrimination, and second, to compare pay and performance for men and women players in the top professional soccer leagues in the US. We utilize data from Major League Soccer and the National Women’s Soccer League over the period 2016 through 2019 to compare how performance translates into team success in the two leagues and to forecast the salaries of women players for comparison with the men. Our results show that the determinants of win production are the same for the men’s and women’s teams, indicating that men and women do similar work. Additionally, the average woman player would earn more than the average male player if performance were compensated the same way in both leagues for the same number of games.