Background <p>Soccer performance involves frequent high-intensity efforts and often insufficient recovery, making neuromuscular fatigue a critical factor in player monitoring. The drop jump (DJ) test, particularly the reactive strength index (RSI), has gained attention as a practical tool for assessing neuromuscular readiness. This study examined the relationship between accumulated external training load and neuromuscular status, assessed via DJ-derived metrics, in semi-professional soccer players.</p> Methods <p>Nineteen semi-professional outfield players (20.7 ± 1.4 years) were monitored over a 30-week competitive season, including 144 training sessions and 30 official matches. External load was tracked using 10&#xa0;Hz Global Positioning System (GPS) devices. Neuromuscular performance was assessed weekly via the DJ test, measuring RSI, contact time (CT), and jump height (JH) with Optojump. Repeated-measures ANOVA evaluated longitudinal changes, and individual correlations were calculated across acute (7-day), chronic (28-day), and acute: chronic workload ratio periods.</p> Results <p>External load metrics varied significantly across microcycles, whereas DJ performance metrics remained stable at the group level. However, individual-level analyses revealed significant associations between external load and DJ-derived metrics (particularly between accelerations, decelerations, and high metabolic load distance with CT and JH) in both acute and chronic windows.</p> Conclusion <p>Neuromuscular responses to external training load appear highly individual among semi-professional soccer players. RSI and its components (CT and JH) should be interpreted separately to enhance decision-making regarding training and recovery. A multi-metric, individualized monitoring approach is recommended to optimize performance and reduce injury risk.</p> Clinical trial number <p>Not applicable.</p>