I bet Half the World Cup Soccer players can run a 4:10 mile.

Dude...you are an idiot.

Are you claiming 4:10 off only soccer training, or they have 4:10 potential?

Pele wrote:

They run all out sprint for 90 plus minutes.

Can or could?

The former implies they could do it now - just set up some races in a month or so and many will run 4:10

Could: If they had trained for years it would have been possible. Or, they still could if they train for a significant period of time (a year maybe). Also may require significant incentives.

One thing that I don't think has been mentioned is the diversity of players:

Some of the bigger players look like decathletes or javelin throwers, or sprinters. Some of the smaller players could be 800 or even 1500 runners. Some of them could be quite good, but 400 would usually be a better bet.

Using this logic:

Based on the examples of Renaldo Nehimiah, Robert Griffin III and Devon Allen, college football(US football) players can run between sub 13 & 13.55 for the 110 high hurdle times.

Based on actuality: there is some crossover between what makes a great hurdler and what makes a great football player, but mostly it's that great talents are great talents. Also: great talents follow the money, so you'll find the best cross-over athletes in the big dollar sports. There's more money in football (soccer) than anything else so if there ARE great athletes who can run sub 4:10 in sports other than track and field, it's a good bet it's football. That doesn't mean being good at football will make you good at running track.

agip wrote:

I'm sure half of a world cup team could break 5 - these are some of the best athletes on earth. But watch what they do - they stand around around half the time. It is hardly continuous running. They would be better 400m runners than milers.

there have been many threads on this - the problem is the lack of accurate data. You see everything from some soccerhead claiming his entire high school soccer team ran under 5, to some actual training program for a pro team that suggested 2 or 3 guys could do it.

I do think the best athletes migrate to soccer and let's face it - the remnants do track. So you can't say 'well on my cross country team only 5 guys can break 5" cause most likely the best athletes in the school are doing something else.

It would be nice if we could do an actual study to settle this argument.

I think there's the misguided notion among many that since most folks in the world are more interested in soccer, American football, basketball & baseball, that it then follows that those sports attract the "best" athletes?

And therefore the typical athlete in those four sports can just switch over to the less favored sports, like track, swimming, gymnastics etc and perform on par with athletes who are at say the 98th percentile in the less favored sports? I don't think so.

Each activity requires a particular skill and they do not necessarily overlap. 4:20 mile speed eliminates lots of athletes. And playing soccer is a different skill set.

And what exactly is meant by, "best athlete"?

Maximal aerobic power characteristics of male professional soccer players, 1989-2012.

Tønnessen E1, Hem E, Leirstein S, Haugen T, Seiler S.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this investigation was to quantify maximal aerobic power (VO2max) in soccer as a function of performance level, position, age, and time of season. In addition, the authors examined the evolution of VO2max among professional players over a 23-y period.

METHODS:

1545 male soccer players (22 ± 4 y, 76 ± 8 kg, 181 ± 6 cm) were tested for VO2max at the Norwegian Olympic Training Center between 1989 and 2012.

RESULTS:

No differences in VO2max were observed among national-team players, 1st- and 2nd-division players, and juniors. Midfielders had higher VO2max than defenders, forwards, and goalkeepers (P < .05). Players

Post was cut, in short the average is 62-64 which is around 4:45 mile with proper training.

Which half, upper or lower body?

Big Deal wrote:

CycloneAlum wrote:

4:10 is about 12-15 seconds from the top 25-50 in the world's elite (3:55-3:58). So by extension are you claiming that half the high school soccer players are within 20 seconds of the high school elite (4:30-4:35 1600m runners)? Puh-Leese

I said that high school kids run 4:10 in the mile. I didn't say anything about what half the high school soccer players can run. You made that part up.

Actually, I said "ARE YOU ...". I was asking for clarity, at no part did I make something up.

most could break 5

many could break 4:40

the fastest would be somewhere under 4:30

10/10 best troll post ever

Dennis Reynolds 2.0 wrote:

Sub 5 - 100%

Sub 4:50 - 80%

Sub 4:40 - 50%

Sub 4:30 - 25%

Sub 4:20 - 5%

Sub 4:10 - 0%

These figures are based on the published mile run results conducted by various club teams from across the globe who have players in the World Cup.

It seems odd that teams across the globe would publish MILE run results. 1500 times, maybe.

Rupp,Wheathing where all soccer players in high school

I bet more could run under 11.00 for the 100 than could break 4:20 in the mile.

Fermin Cacho was a pro player for Spain. The Italian who won the marathon gold 1988 also.

They're in great condition.

But they're usually not all-out sprinting, unless chasing or dribbling/defending the ball. Most of their running seems to be 800M type exertion. No knock at all- impressive conditioning.

Chris Wondolowski ran 10:20 for the 3200 off of soccer training as a sophomore in high school.

http://www.mercurynews.com/earthquakes/ci_16167683

Because of that performance, he was recruited to the high school track team. He was also recruited to run middle distance track at UCLA, but turned it down to play soccer for Chico State.

Pele wrote:

They run all out sprint for 90 plus minutes.

very doubtful. I bet there are a lot of guys that can go 48-49 in the quarter though.