Understanding workload dynamics in football goalkeepers: insights from a professional club

The aim of this study was to examine differences in external workload between starter and non-starter goalkeepers, and to compare the starter’s training loads with match-day demands across a competitive cycle. Three professional male goalkeepers, aged 26.7 ± 4.3 years, participated in the study. Data were collected over a five-week period using Catapult Vector G7 goalkeeper-specific 10 Hz GPS devices to track various physical metrics. Given the small sample size inherent to professional goalkeeper squads, a descriptive case-series design was employed. Descriptive statistics and effect sizes (ε²) were calculated to characterise the magnitude of observed differences, rather than to perform inferential testing. The starter accumulated moderately higher high-speed running loads across the training week, while non-starters showed greater involvement in specific high-intensity goalkeeper actions such as jumps and dive load (TDV LOAD) on MD-4 and MD-3, respectively. When comparing the starter’s training and match demands, match play imposed substantially higher total distance, duration, and high-speed running, whereas training sessions elicited higher volumes of accelerations, decelerations, changes of direction, and dive-related actions. These findings highlight the distinct physical demands associated with playing status and suggest that training design may benefit from context-specific individualisation. Future research should involve larger samples and more detailed drill classification to validate these preliminary observations and enhance understanding of goalkeeper-specific workload patterns.