Activity profiles of U15, U17, and U20 Brazilian men’s national football teams during international tournaments: are there age or playing position differences?

Compare activity profiles between U15, U17, and U20 from national team Brazilian football players, considering by each position during the South American championships.

The activity profiles analyzed were total distance (TD), distance covered in low, moderate, high, and sprinting-speed, and Player Load^â (PL) were assessed using global positioning systems (GPS).

PL and distance in some speeds (0–8 km.h⁻¹, 12–16 km.h⁻¹ and 16–20 km.h⁻¹) were significantly higher in the U17 team compared to the U15. Furthermore, the U17 also showed significantly higher activity profiles (TD, PL, and distance covered in: 0–8 km.h⁻¹, 8–12 km.h⁻¹, 12–16 km.h⁻¹, 16–20 km.h⁻¹, and 20–24 km.h⁻¹) than the U20 group, with no significant differences only in the sprint distance. Considering each playing positions, the central defenders (CD) covered the lowest TD when compared to the other positions (p < 0.05) and midfielders (MD) covered a greater TD than forwards (FW). MD players covered significant higher distances at moderated speeds (8–16 km.h⁻¹) compared to all other positions. However, at higher speeds (20–24 km.h⁻¹), the FW covered significant greater distances than MD, while both FW and FB covered significant greater sprint distances than CD and MD.

These findings suggest that some activities profile increased from U15 to U20, whereas other activities were less influenced by age category. Finally, the physical demand according to playing position is relevant when interpreting the activity profile of youth players.