Abstract
Background: Football is a challenging and tough sport that keeps going in demand of both aerobic and anaerobic endurance to play. Cardiorespiratory fitness is often measured by VO₂ max and is important for a player’s ability to sustain high-intensity performance throughout a full 90-minute match. While traditional coaching has mainly focused on tactical program, there is growing attention on physiotherapist-led conditioning programs. These programs aim to reduce injury risk, manage training load, and enhance physiological performance. Training strategies such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT), small-sided games (SSG), and functional training are commonly used to develop these physical abilities.
Objective: The main aim of this narrative review is to examine existing research on how different endurance training programs, specifically high-intensity interval training (HIIT), small-sided games (SSG), combined training and continuous training affect the cardiorespiratory fitness of football players and is to guide according on the evidence-based physiotherapy practice.
Methods: A literature search was conducted for studies published between 2017 and 2025. Thirteen relevant studies were included in the review. The studies involved football players from high school to elite levels who participated in endurance training interventions, including high-intensity interval training (HIIT), small-sided games (SSG), continuous training, and resistance training. Data on VO₂ max, physical performance, and physiological adaptations were collected and summarized.
Results: All high-intensity protocols—HIIT, High-Intensity Functional Training (HIFT), and Interval Training—resulted in significant improvements in VO2 Max or VO2 peak across various player levels. SSGs were found to be physiologically equivalent to running-based HIIT in enhancing intermittent
endurance capacity (VIFT). The most contemporary studies demonstrated that Combined Training such as DHIRT and Stretching protocols elicited superior, holistic gains in overall endurance.
Conclusion: High-intensity interventions, particularly (SSG) and (Combined Training), are effective strategies for maximizing cardiorespiratory endurance in football. Physiotherapists should include trainings such as SSG as the primary sport-specific conditioning tool and consider Combined Training for comprehensive physical development.