Why are footballers increasingly taking to the field in "sports bras"?

Those who follow the matches of this year's World Cup have probably noticed the black elastic tops that many players wear under their jerseys. On social media, they were even jokingly referred to as men's sports bras. But the true purpose of this equipment turned out to be completely different.

In fact, these are special vests with GPS modules and other sensors, which most professional football teams use today. They are manufactured by companies specializing in sports technologies, and among their users are national teams and leading clubs. For example, the entire Brazilian men's national team uses such devices.

The design, which resembles a short top, was chosen purely for practical reasons. A small module is attached to the upper part of the vest between the shoulder blades. This place is considered the most suitable: from here, the signal from satellites is better received, the sensor is less prone to displacement during running, and it does not create additional danger during collisions on the field.

Павялічыць

Such systems collect a large amount of data about each player. They record speed, distance covered, number of accelerations and decelerations, intensity of exertion, and other parameters during training and matches. Unlike runners, footballers constantly change direction sharply, accelerate, decelerate, and engage in duels, so the system is designed to accurately record precisely such explosive loads.

Based on this information, with the help of specialized software, coaches, doctors, and physical fitness specialists can individually plan training sessions, assess player fatigue, and monitor their recovery after injuries. This allows for tailoring loads for each player separately, rather than training the entire team according to one template.

For example, a player might think they have fully recovered from an injury, but data shows that they still aren't developing their usual maximum speed or are unconsciously shifting weight to their healthy leg. In such a case, a return to full training might be postponed to reduce the risk of re-injury.

The effectiveness of such devices is also confirmed by scientific research. A review, published in 2023 in the journal BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, showed that sensors help assess fatigue levels, plan recovery after exertion and injuries, and timely detect signs of overload that can lead to injuries, especially to the knees and ankles.

However, even the most modern technologies are not capable of evaluating everything that happens on the football field.

Journalists were told about one such case by the Brazilian national team's staff. One of the footballers, according to GPS statistics, appeared significantly less active than his teammates: he covered about half the distance during a match. However, it turned out that the player simply didn't need to run much — thanks to correctly choosing his position, he almost always found himself exactly where the team needed him.

This case illustrates the main limitation of such systems. They can very accurately measure the physical parameters of footballers, but are not yet able to assess the ability to read the game, choose the right position, anticipate the development of an attack, or demonstrate leadership qualities.

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