In a collaborative effort, a team of Swedish and Portuguese sports scientists, physiotherapists, and the pioneering sports tech company Photon Sports have initiated a study designed to upgrade the landscape of women’s football. The project, led by Dan Fransson, PhD at Gothenburg University and Head of Performance of IF Elfsborg, aims to delve deep into explosive movement patterns in Top-class female football players, setting a new benchmark for performance development and injury prevention in the sport.
“Aiming to discover new insights, we seek to craft football-specific training and testing strategies that will advance elite female football, setting new benchmarks both in Sweden and worldwide”
– Dan Fransson
Bridging the Gap in Women’s Football Performance Insights
As women’s football evolves at a high pace, characterised by sophisticated tactics and a faster game speed, this study comes at the exact right moment.
Today, a large portion of assumptions for female football performance is based on male studies and male data. This comprehensive four-year study seeks to fill this knowledge gap by tailoring testing and training protocols specifically for female footballers.
By leveraging cutting-edge technology, including video analysis from live matches and high resolution 3D technology, the team is poised to uncover the secrets behind explosiveness for increased speed, agility, and quickness in women’s football.
“We see a great opportunity in developing the next generation of tests and training protocols, tailored for women’s game. We are no longer constrained by technology, and today we can optimise testing and training strategies without compromising.”
– Anders Tånger, CEO, Photon Sports.
A Multi-Phase Approach to Enhancing Performance and Reduce Risk of Injury
The study is structured around four phases, beginning with analysing top female footballers’ movement patterns during competition, utilising match data and video footage.The following phases will compare these real-game movements with standardised tests, using new technology from Photon Sports, aiming at developing new testing and training protocols that resonate more closely with the demands of the sport.
“By understanding and optimising locomotor profiles and movement patterns, we can push the boundaries of performance in women’s football, making the game faster and even more exciting while mitigating the risk of injuries.” says Dan Fransson.
Expectations and Impact
The project’s stakeholders Gothenburg University, University of Beira Interior, IF Elfsborg, the Swedish Football Association, and Photon Sports share a commitment to elevate women’s football. Their common aim is to upgrade training and testing protocols, extend their benefits from the gym to the pitch and create a healthier, and competitive environment for female footballers worldwide.
“Aiming to discover new insights, we seek to craft football-specific training and testing strategies that will advance elite female football, setting new benchmarks both in Sweden and worldwide”. Fransson says.
THE RESEARCH TEAM:
Dan Fransson, PhD at the University of Gothenburg. Head of Performance at IF Elfsborg
Pontus Ekblom, Master of Science, Performance Manager for Sweden’s national women’s team.
Albin Oldberg Masters student at the University of Gothenburg and Fitness Coach and Sport Scientist for the U19 and Women’s team at IF Elfsborg
Farzad Yousefian, Ph.D. student at the University of Beira Interior and involved with the Portuguese Football Federation
Bruno Travassos, Associate professor of University of Beira Interior, Sports Scientist at the Portuguese football federation and fitness coach for the Portuguese Men’s national futsal team.
Contact Information
For further details, interviews, or inquiries, please contact:
Anders Tånger, anders.tanger@photonsports.se +46(0)70-692 48 42
Dan Fransson, dan.fransson@gu.se +46(0)79-332 05 35
