Rising competitiveness in women’s football: Elite performance demands progressive speed and strength training
In 2023, the number of women and girls playing football worldwide rose to 17 million, which is 24% more than in 2019. In addition to the rise in popularity, international studies show that the competitiveness and physical demands of women’s football have grown in recent years. In Finland, there are about 40,000 registered female and girl players, and in the summer of 2025, Finland will compete in the Euro Cup for the fifth time. How can we ensure that Finland continues to produce top-level international players in the future?
Eero Savolainen's dissertation investigated the physical performance of female players in the National League, Finland’s top football division, as well as senior and junior national team players. The research showed that players from the league's higher-performing teams trained at a higher intensity than did players from teams with poorer performance, possibly due to better physical performance by the players. Additionally, physical performance, especially sprint speed, distinguished senior or junior national team players from league players playing at the same position who were not selected for the national teams.
The research also examined the impact of physical performance on match performance. A player’s result in the 30-meter sprint, knee flexor strength, and body composition predicted a major portion of how much high-speed running (over 19 km/h) a national-level player would perform during a match.
“This result,” says Savolainen, “highlights that a player’s physical performance, especially their strength and speed, influences not only training and national team selection but also performance during matches.”
Furthermore, the research showed that a gradual increase in the intensity of football-specific training during the match season is key to developing endurance and strength production. The load or intensity from football training did not correlate with the development of speed, which highlights the importance of isolated speed training.
To ensure that Finland continues to produce top international players in the future, Savolainen suggests that coaching should focus on the systematic and progressive development of physical performance as part of long-term player development.
“Coaches should pay special attention to improving players’ speed and strength qualities,” says Savolainen. “
Speed and strength training should be integrated into sport-specific training, but it should also be carried out as isolated training.”
Savolainen will henceforth lead the physical training of the Finnish women's national team.
"In my doctoral research, I had the opportunity over four years to delve into the latest international research trends in football, and now I can apply that knowledge in practice," Savolainen says about the upcoming role.
Eero Savolainen, M.Sc., will defends his doctoral dissertation in sport coaching science, Female football players’ training load and physical performance, at the Ģֱ on 7 February 2025 starting at 12:00 in the Liikunta building, auditorium L304. His opponent will be Professor Svein Arne Pettersen (UiT The Arctic University of Norway) and the custos Academy Research Fellow Simon Walker (Ģֱ). The language of the defence is English.
Keywords: Football, performance, national team, speed
More information:
Eero Savolainen
Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, Ģֱ
eero.h.j.savolainen@jyu.fi, 0504933219
