Exploring body composition and somatotype profiles among youth professional soccer players

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze the body composition and somatotype of professional soccer players, investigating variations across categories and playing positions. METHODS: An observational, cross-sectional, and analytical study was conducted with 51 male professional soccer players in the U-19 and U-20 categories. Data about sex, age, height, and weight were collected between March and May 2023. Body composition analysis utilized the ISAK protocol for the restricted profile, while somatotype categorization employed the Heath and Carter formula. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics V.26, which involved the application of Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests to discern differences in body composition variables and proportionality based on categories and playing positions. The Dunn test further identified specific positions exhibiting significant differences. RESULTS: The study encompassed 51 players, highlighting meaningful differences in body composition. The average body mass in kg was 75.8 (±6.9) for U-20 players and 70.5 (±6.1) for U-19 players. The somatotype values were 2.6-4.6-2.3 for U-20 players and 2.5-4.3-2.8 for U-19 players, with a predominance of muscle mass in all categories, characterizing them as balanced mesomorphs. CONCLUSIONS: Body composition and somatotype findings underscore distinctions in body mass across categories and playing positions, with notably higher body mass and muscle mass predominance in elevated categories. However, the prevailing skeletal muscle development establishes a significant semblance with the recognized somatotype standard for soccer.