Effects Of Fatigue On Interception Decisions In Soccer

In competitive soccer, match-induced fatigue is a common phenomenon that may negatively influence performance. Focusing on decision-making, the current study experimentally tested the impact of fatigue on players' interception decisions and, in doing so, also took into account potential effects on physical capacity and motivation. Using a counterbalanced pretest-posttest design, 30 well-trained amateur soccer players were tested in a fatigued state vs. a non-fatigued control state (i.e. after performing a simulated soccer match and after watching soccer on television). Before and after both protocols, players performed a sprint test and an interception test in which they were instructed to either intercept or not intercept passes of different speeds. Dependent variables included physical capacity (i.e. maximal sprint capacity), motivation to intercept, decisions to intercept, and success rate of interceptions. Results showed that motivation to intercept but not sprint capacity was negatively affected by fatigue. Despite changes in motivation, fatigue did not significantly affect the number of interception attempts or the success rate of interceptions. In conclusion, findings suggest that match-induced fatigue reduces players' self-reported motivation to engage in effortful actions (i.e. interception attempts) but does not necessarily affect objective (maximal) physical capacity and decision-making.