Researchers from Hungarian University of Sports Science publish scientific article on youth footballers in a Q1-ranked academic journal

A new study involving researchers from Hungarian University of Sports Science (HUSS) has been published in Sports, an international journal with a Q1 ranking and an impact factor of 2.9. The article investigates the relationship between external and internal load indicators among elite youth soccer players.

Titled “Relationship Between GPS-Derived Variables and Subjective Questionnaires Among Elite Youth Soccer Players,” the publication appears in the special issue of Sports titled “Advances in Football Science: Integrating Technology, Performance, and Well-Being.” The first author of the study is Krisztián Havanecz, a PhD student at the Doctoral School of Sport Sciences at HUSS. This marks his first publication in a Q1-ranked international journal.

The research monitored the training and match loads of 50 players from a Hungarian football academy across three age groups—U15, U17, and U19—over a period of six months. The study analyzed a total of 145 training sessions and 33 matches. As part of performance monitoring, the researchers used GPS-based data, including total distance covered, high-intensity running, and player load values. Internal load was assessed using the RPE scale (Rating of Perceived Exertion) and a wellness questionnaire covering sleep quality, fatigue, and stress levels.

The results revealed a strong correlation between the GPS-derived variables and RPE scores, especially during training sessions. Significant differences were also observed across age groups, which the authors interpret as evidence that individualized load management deserves special attention already during adolescence.

“It is an honour for me that our work has been published in such a prestigious journal, and I am pleased that our results are receiving international recognition. I hope coaches will find the findings useful in practice—after all, our goal is to establish a scientific foundation for the conditioning of youth football players,” said Krisztián Havanecz.

The research was carried out through the collaboration of four departments across three HUSS institutes. Participants included Dr Csaba Bartha, head of the Centre for Training Theory and Methodology; Dr Sándor Sáfár, director of the Institute of Sport Sciences; and Krisztián Havanecz, assistant lecturer and PhD student. The Department of Sport Management was represented by Professor Gábor Géczi, director of the Institute of Economics and Social Sciences. From the Department of Kinesiology, Dr Bence Kopper and Marcell Fridvalszki (research assistant and PhD student) contributed to the work, while Péter János Tóth participated on behalf of the Department of Team Sports.

The research group is planning further studies aimed at improving load monitoring in youth football. “In our next study, we are examining the appropriate age to introduce heart rate monitoring in youth football. Data analysis is already in progress, and we’re eagerly anticipating the results,” added Havanecz.

This publication is not the first to emerge from cross-departmental collaboration at HUSS. A recent example is the study titled “Novel, Sport-Specific EMG-Based Method to Evaluate Movement Efficiency in Karate Punching,” which was also the result of exemplary cooperation among three departments and was published in another respected international journal.

12 Aug 2025