Could most elite soccer players easily run a sub-20 5k?

Hayduk wrote:

I might be out of touch, but can't most people with 2 legs run a sub 20 5k?

Yes, you are out of touch.

Go to a local 5k and let me know what percentage of folks are under 20.

You folks have never played football in your lives so stop saying nonsense. Football requires much more sprinting than you think. I would say not even 50% of professional athletes can run sub20. That is not a skill they need to be good players. They need to sprint, jog, rest, sprint. Stamina is pointless for them.

How do I know? Let's just say I have more football trophies than running ones.

somebloke wrote:

You folks have never played football in your lives so stop saying nonsense. Football requires much more sprinting than you think. I would say not even 50% of professional athletes can run sub20. That is not a skill they need to be good players. They need to sprint, jog, rest, sprint. Stamina is pointless for them.

How do I know? Let's just say I have more football trophies than running ones.

Stamina is pointless for soccer players? I've played 20 years and stamina is extremely important in soccer. Many of these clubs play twice a week for 40+ weeks out of the year. After the first 60+ minutes, stamina really shows with all the players.

50 State Challenge:

Hey local club league trophies don't count.... anywhere you played where sub 20 is impressive is terrible. Your team was terrible. Everything was just terrible.

Now lie and say you were in premiere.

I come from a very average high school, with a few guys running track in their soccer off seasons. I know 3 or 4 of us are sub-18 5k, and the other 4 are pretty bad, just training to stay fit, so yeah they wouldnt break 20.

Gareth Bale ran xc when he was younger, I'd have no doubt he'd be sub-15. Other guys are definitely slower, but I'd say every player in the top 10-15% of European leagues who plays a position involving running (left/right back, left/right mid, in some cases central mid) would probably go close to or maybe below 15. Obviously, there's exceptions, but I'll say for sure Bale, Ronaldo, Alaba, Lahm, Neymar, Müller, Willian, and possibly a few more could do it.

TL;DR: Most players, even just outfield? A large percentage would go sub-20. But the most elite guys? Absolutely.

Yeah agree Bale would be one of the fastest. I mean look at this turnover, ridiculous.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=11JPa0lkYOY

I would be very surprised if someone ran sub 17.

Ok, I used the google.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1377679/The-fastest-slowest-fittest-players-Premier-League-club.html

One player on the list can run as fast as 22mph and runs an average of just over 7 miles a game.

The distances run by all members of a team per game were between 66 and 80 miles.

Hmmm.... but I am 102% sure they would all still get smoked by the JV girls team at my local fun run.

RossiCheated wrote:

And Mike Rossi cheated.

This and this alone. Thread closed.

Another stupid but somewhat interesting article: are you as fit as a premier league baller?

The accusations of laziness hurled from the terraces at Premier League footballers are rarely true. Performance data shows that a top footballer can cover a distance of over 10k per game, perform up to 40 explosive sprints, and hit running speeds of over 30kph. ...

The 4-Minute Drill (Aerobic)

WHAT TO DO:

Use cones to measure out a distance of 100m (the approximate length of a full-sized football pitch), with cones placed at regular 10m intervals. Run up and down the full 100m line as hard as you can for four minutes, and measure the total distance you cover. Rest for two minutes then repeat the exercise. Now work out your average distance per set by dividing your combined distance over the two sets in half, and check your times against the chart below.

HOW YOU RATE:

Sunday League footballer = 1000m

Good amateur footballer = 1100m

Championship footballer = 1200m

Premier League footballer = 1300m+

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/active/11063463/Test-yourself-are-you-as-fit-as-a-Premier-League-footballer.html

Like said before I played soccer with a guy in high school who later played in the MLS and world cup.

I was not bad for my size at running, but he was much better. His name is Chris Wondolowski and I went to De La Salle.

He also ran track. If I recall correctly he ran a 4:21 1600. He also played soccer all four years. This is just high school.

He turned down a track scholarship from UCLA.

He isn\'t even in the premier league and he would give most people here a run for their money.

So can we stop it with the ridiculous claims that there is no way they can break 18?

Former soccer player, still play on an occasional basis:

somebloke wrote:

You folks have never played football in your lives so stop saying nonsense. Football requires much more sprinting than you think. I would say not even 50% of professional athletes can run sub20. That is not a skill they need to be good players. They need to sprint, jog, rest, sprint. Stamina is pointless for them.

How do I know? Let's just say I have more football trophies than running ones.

Let me guess your position: Striker

Your comment only applies to those who play a very attacking position and maybe the centreback position.

Stamina is required to increase the frequency of "Sprint, jog, rest, repeat" and/or reduce the time needed to recover between sprints. Anything that requires two way play without a question requires stamina to excel in the position.

omg this is still going? wrote:

Like said before I played soccer with a guy in high school who later played in the MLS and world cup.

I was not bad for my size at running, but he was much better. His name is Chris Wondolowski and I went to De La Salle.

He also ran track. If I recall correctly he ran a 4:21 1600. He also played soccer all four years. This is just high school.

He turned down a track scholarship from UCLA.

He isn't even in the premier league and he would give most people here a run for their money.

So can we stop it with the ridiculous claims that there is no way they can break 18?

I would argue that due to sporting cultures, American Soccer (MLS) is a far more physical league than the Premier League is. The reasoning for it is because many European nations grow up trying to perfect themselves tactically and technically whereas Americans are trying to make the best possible athlete out of the player.

Yeah but how many of the top players in premier grew up in Europe thinking that way?

You either got talent, or you dont. I think it is hilarious that people here honestly think the majority of elite professional soccer payers can't run 3.1 miles under 20 minutes

fatty american continued wrote:

The accusations of laziness hurled from the terraces at Premier League footballers are rarely true. Performance data shows that a top footballer can cover a distance of over 10k per game...

I can easily WALK over 10k in 90 min.

Just saying.

Bale could win your local 5k wrote:

Yeah agree Bale would be one of the fastest. I mean look at this turnover, ridiculous.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=11JPa0lkYOY

No offense, but you may want to be aware that sprinting speed is different than 5k running ability.

Joe or Something Else wrote:

fatty american continued wrote:

The accusations of laziness hurled from the terraces at Premier League footballers are rarely true. Performance data shows that a top footballer can cover a distance of over 10k per game...

I can easily WALK over 10k in 90 min.

Just saying.

Can you run 23mph?

tell meeee wrote:

Joe or Something Else wrote:

I can easily WALK over 10k in 90 min.

Just saying.

Can you run 23mph?

No.

But while we are on the subject of irrelevant questions, can you do a one-hand hand stand while simultaneously drinking a pina colada and reciting Moby Dick without notes?

When i was 14 years old my first xc race, i ran 20:02 an i had been running for just a couple weeks, those soccer players could absolutely run sub 18, sub 17, and MAYBE sub 16

Roonaldo wrote:

I watch a lot of English Premier League Soccer and was wondering....These guys are obviously in great overall shape and run a lot in training and games. Could the average elite player easily knock out a sub-20 5k? Faster?