Walsall professor says football success is tall about body shape
The findings were made by analysing player statistics from specific periods in the 70s, 80s, 90s and 2003-4, using ten-year intervals to avoid potential overlaps.
Whether a player was in one of the top six teams of the time was used as a measure of success because, in more recent years, they were more likely to have qualified for European cup competitions.
He added: “The results of this study show that professional footballers are getting taller and heavier per decade, with a small but significant rise in BMI over the four decades.
“Many of the differences in playing position were also anticipated, with goalkeepers, central defenders, and strikers being taller and heavier than players playing in wider positions. These results suggest that football coaches and talent scouts should pay attention to the body shape when selecting potential players for their squads.”
Professor Nevill carried out the research with Adam Watts, from the University’s School of Applied Sciences and Roger Holder, of the University of Birmingham’s School of Mathematics and Statistics.
The findings have been published in the Journal of Sports Sciences.
