Characterizing the sprint threshold (25.2 km/h): a case study analysis on how soccer players reach sprint speeds and what relative intensity the threshold represents

This study investigated how soccer players reach sprint speeds (> 25.2 km⋅h−1) and what that fixed threshold represents to each player regarding their individual match peak speeds registered during competition. Twenty professional players (n = 20) from a team competing in the Brazilian first division were monitored with a global navigation satellite system during six matches. All efforts with final speeds > 25.2 km⋅h−1 were analyzed according to starting speed, and accelerations’ duration and magnitude. Peak speeds for each player were also retrieved and compared to the sprint threshold. Most efforts > 25.2 km⋅h−1 (> 91