ABSTRACT
The sport of soccer has not been studied extensively by sports scientists although reviews of the various demands of the game have been documented (Reilly, 1979; Kirkendall, 1985; Ekblom, 1986; Reilly, 1986). Furthermore, with the exception of longitudinal studies during the competitive season (Thomas and Reilly, 1979; Reilly and Thomas, 1980) and the influence of pre-season training upon fitness levels in soccer players (Reilly and Thomas, 1977a), little attention has been devoted to the fitness status of professional soccer players during the period between competitive seasons of play. Notwithstanding the difficulties of assessing sports-related fitness in general and soccer fitness in particular (Reilly and Thomas, 1977b), this study attempted to determine a profile of pre-season fitness in professional soccer players using selected variables relevant to the fitness demands of the competitive season.
