Match-day peaks and post-match compensation: divergent weekly load profiles of starters vs. non-starters in professional women's soccer

Introduction Recent evidence indicates differences in training and match loads between starters and non-starters in women's soccer, but little is known about players in Brazil's elite leagues. This study aimed to compare the external and internal loads of professional women's soccer players classified as starters and non-starters during training sessions and matches. Methods Twenty-nine players from a professional team competing in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A1 (64.1 ± 6.8 kg; 167.3 ± 6.1 cm) were monitored. Internal load was assessed using the rating of perceived exertion (RPE), while external load variables included total distance, distance in different speed zones, high-speed running distance, number of sprints, maximum speed, accelerations and decelerations, recorded via Global Positioning System devices. Independent t-tests and Mann–Whitney U tests compared groups. Results Starters accumulated higher match-day (MD) loads, with greater total distance (9999.0 ± 1205.7 vs. 5141.1 ± 1290.5 m; p 0.01) and RPE (8.0 7.0 − 9.5 vs. 4.5 4.0 − 5.5 A.U.; p 0.01). Conversely, non-starters presented higher values after matches, covering more distance on MD+1 (4655.1 ± 996.1 vs. 2390.4 ± 814.4 m; p 0.01) and MD+2 (4210.0 ± 992.0 vs. 2979.4 ± 526.7 m; p 0.01), along with higher RPE (7.0 7.0–7.4 vs. 3.5 2.5–5.0 A.U.; p 0.01, and 6.5 6.0–7.0 vs. 4.0 3.5–5.0 A.U.; p 0.01). Discussion As conclusion, starters concentrated peak loads on MD, whereas non-starters accumulated higher loads on MD+1/MD+2. These findings support individualized post-match compensation for non-starters and recovery-focused management for starters.