ABSTRACT
Soccer is probably the popular game vorld-vide but there is still limited scientific information available concerning the physiological characteristics of professional soccer players (Raven et al., 1976; Thomas and Reilly, 1979; Bale, 1986; Reilly et al., 1988). Due to the fact that the game lasts one hour and a half, sometimes even longer than the official timing, it requires a good aerobic capacity. Soccer also comprises activities like sprints, and jumps in attack and defence. These short lasting activities are performed over the entire game, so both aerobic and anaerobic capacity are required from athletes. Our research aimed to establish the functional capability of the professional soccer players in Croatia with an emphasis on their aerobic capability.
