Research
Mixed
Small-sided games and football-specific drills can elicit high-intensity physiological responses (VO2max, running economy) comparable to non-ball high-intensity training, while potentially offering greater football-specific performance benefits.
You can achieve high-intensity fitness benefits through small-sided games or football-specific drills. These sessions can elicit similar physiological adaptations (like improved VO2max) as pure running, while also improving your technical skills under fatigue. Aim for high-intensity intervals (90-95% HRmax) twice a week.
ModerateQualifiesMEDIUM confidence
Similar adaptations are observed when performing aerobic high-intensity training with small-sided games... Although the improvements observed in physical performance during the match (eg, sprint and high-intensity running) were not different between general and specific training, it cannot be ruled out that differences may have existed... It is possible that the overall effect of training with small-sided games is greater for football-specific performance.
Why this rating
Based on review of studies, but direct comparison of technical outcomes is limited.
Source
High-Intensity Training in Football
F. Marcello Iaia et al. · International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance · 2009
DOI 10.1123/ijspp.4.3.291
narrative_reviewCited 335×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- 8 to 12 weeks of aerobic high-intensity running training (>85% HRmax) improves VO2max (5-11%), running economy (3-7%), and yo-yo intermittent recovery test performance (13%) in football players.Good
- Speed-endurance training (repeated sprints) improves football-specific endurance (YYIR test 22-28%) and repeated sprint ability (~2%) more effectively than aerobic high-intensity training alone.Good
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