The average Premier League player runs 20 percent faster and covers 34 percent more ground per match than a amateur, according to Catapult’s wearable data.
As wearable GPS devices proliferate to lower rungs of professional teams on down to amateur clubs, this accessibility of tracking information can make the average weekend warrior in a recreational league wonder how he or she stacks up against a favored star from the elite European leagues.
Catapult Sports, whose acquisition of Playertek has broadened its inventory of wearable tech offerings, recently shared aggregate data with SportTechie from Playertek-wearing amateurs and one unidentified Premier League club to illustrate the speed and endurance differences between the different rungs of talent (Catapult has worked with Chelsea, Leicester City and Tottenham, among others in the Premier League, as well as other global powers such as A.C. Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid).
While the three fastest players in the Premier League — Southampton’s Shane Long, Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy and Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford — reportedly sprint as fast as 21.81 or 21.92 miles per hour, the attackers from Catapult’s anonymous Premier League club averaged top speeds of 20.58 miles per hour while the amateurs averaged 16.96 miles per hour, a difference of 21 percent. Across all positions, the difference in max running speed was 20 percent.
(Data from Catapult Sports)
Chris Barnes, a sports scientist at Catapult, wrote in analysis: “Though the numbers unsurprisingly show that professionals are faster, we must acknowledge that some amateurs will, in fact, be quicker than some professionals. This is, in part, due to genetics — a large component of an individual’s potential to achieve high running speeds is inherited. However, the training undertaken by professional players ensures most, if not all, can reach their genetic potential.
“In many professional games, players won’t actually reach maximum speed — something to be applauded as this is often related to their capacity to ‘read’ and manage a game. However, if circumstances dictate, that extra speed is there to be called upon.”
There is also a notable difference with the professional midfielder position group. The average top speed of a wide midfielder, who generally has more open terrain to cover on the flank, was 20.13 mph, compared to a top speed of 17.67 mph for center-midfielders, who are slowed by the congestion of players in the center third of the pitch.
“Generally speaking, players will ‘migrate’ to play in positions for which they are physically and technically best suited,” Barnes wrote, “and the demands of top level wide play require players who possess high inherent speed.”
The greater discrepancy between the amateur and pro ranks appears in total distance covered, owing to their fitness levels and typical pace of play. In a standard 90-minute match, Premier League players will log an average of 6.51 miles, compared to 4.85 miles for the amateur player, a 34-percent difference. The biggest divide appears among defenders — a 45-percent gap with 6.53 miles for pros, 4.52 for rec players — that Barnes attributes to the demands of the modern Premier League in which defenders are expected to join in the attack.
“The greater technical proficiency of professional players results in greater match ‘tempo’ and the ball being in play for a much greater proportion of a match, both of which are contributory factors in their superior running performances,” Barnes wrote, adding: “More isn’t necessarily better. It depends on circumstances, such as position, opposition and environmental factors on the day. The key is that professionals have the capacity for greater performances, but due to greater collective efficiency and football smartness, are not always called upon to draw upon these reserves.”
