At the highest level, soccer players log miles of running during every single match. It can be extremely exhausting, which is why players can only play two games a week at max.
While full games every single day seems impossible, can some type of soccer be played every day? We take a look at just how taxing soccer is on the body, and if there are ways for individuals to hit the pitch daily.
How Often Do Professionals Play?
Most domestic leagues have seasons that last either 34 or 38 games. For example, in the English Premier League, all 20 teams play a home and away match against the other 19 teams. There is no postseason, as the team at the top of the table wins.
For individual players, there are other factors to consider as well. Each club also plays in other tournaments, which add to the total. There are also international opportunities to represent the home country.
However, even at maximum capacity, a player usually won’t play anymore than five matches during a two-week stretch. With a grueling stretch like that, they are likely practicing very little to allow the body to bounce back.
You can learn more about how pro players train in this post.
Do Soccer Players Have Rest Days?
Players at the top of the soccer world need to have rest days so they are not burned out. Some of them will do it without any nagging injury. It acts simply as a way for injury prevention more than anything.
Others who are trying to get back to 100% will do very little practicing at full strength in-between matches. They save a lot of their energy and wear and tear on the body for when it matters most.
Younger soccer athletes can bounce back and be a little bit sharper daily. Most of the top academies will have pretty intense training or matches six days a week, with one day of rest for the body.
Even on those rest days, there are still opportunities to do a few smaller practices and work on some individual stuff. It doesn’t have to be anything too strenuous, but it keeps the mind and body sharp.
Training Smart
One way to not feel too tired out from playing every day is to practice different skills that don’t require a lot of wear and tear on the body. Having a balanced practice still allows players to get better, but they don’t have to worry about pushing themselves too much with their bodies.
Even at a professional level, there will be practices where players don’t even run around because they are working on a specific skill set.
While it always pays off to play a game speed from time to time, there are ways to develop touch with walkthroughs. Younger players trying to improve can always find many different drills that are skill-specific and don’t require a ton of actual play.
Soccer is hardest on the legs for obvious reasons, but players can work on timing, touch, and other low-impact drills.
There is also the opportunity to practice a bit outside the box, either by watching film or doing some mental drills to help out. So much soccer is being in sync with everyone else on the pitch, and this is a perfect opportunity to work on that when giving the rest of the body rest.
Should Soccer Players at Least Run Every Day?
Conditioning is extremely important in soccer, as an average player logs several miles during a match. However, a lot of running can wear the body down.
Training in the offseason still requires some breaks once in a while, but this is where players will push the limits and try to step their game up to another level from a fitness perspective.
Listening to the body while running makes a big difference. The last thing a player wants to do is injure themselves because they put too much stress on the body and running around has not helped out at all.
If players are tired from running around a lot, they might try to make up for the tiredness in other ways. This puts stress on other parts of the body, setting up potential injuries.
Handling Burnout At Any Level
A lot of players at some point in their career have felt that they can’t continue playing at the same level. This is the type of burnout that athletes will sometimes get if they have been working a little bit too hard.
Athletes can go in different directions once they experience burnout, but handling this the right way makes a difference.
The first reaction someone could have to burnout is to simply give up a sport and move on to something else. Maybe they want to participate in a different sport, or give up sports altogether.
Instead of panicking and pushing them even more, it’s best to let them have a phase where they feel things out. If a player truly enjoys soccer, they’ll be back and ready to enjoy the game once again.
So many young athletes are feeling burned out these days because parents and coaches are trying to push them.
Why Finding The Right Soccer Schedule Matters
Ultimately, every single soccer player needs to find a schedule that fits their goals. Getting burned out at an early age is going to frustrate players who might otherwise have potential. It can be a devastating blow to younger players if they are playing too much and no longer having fun.
At the same time, practicing and getting repetition is key to having success. The best players in the world train almost every day, and they get plenty of match play as well. It’s a balancing act that is always changing. The ones who find success fall in love with the sport.
Doing something soccer-related every day is without question possible, but there’s a reason why even the best players in the world take days off from physical training.
It’s not viewed as a healthy move to play the game every single day and suffer burnout or injury. There’s more to life than soccer, and balance is generally seen as a good thing overall.
