An assessment of player error as an injury causation factor in international football.

OBJECTIVE

To quantify the frequency of injury in football as a function of tackle parameters.

METHOD

Video recordings of 123 international matches in three Federation Internationale de Football Association tournaments were used to analyze tackle parameters, and team physicians provided reports of postmatch medical attention to players.

RESULTS

A total of 8572 tackles were assessed, of which 3464 (40.4%) were fouls. There were 299 incidents of on-pitch medical attention, of which 131 (44%) resulted from foul tackles, and 200 postmatch team physicians' reports, of which 96 (48%) resulted from foul tackles. The cases of on-pitch medical attention resulted in 76 (25%) postmatch physicians' reports, but 124 (62%) of the postmatch physicians' reports were not associated with on-pitch medical attention. Tackled players received 74% of the postmatch medical reports. Tackle types with the greatest probability of requiring medical attention were from the side in terms of tackle direction, jumping vertically in terms of tackle mode, and a clash of heads in terms of tackle action.

CONCLUSION

Human error on the part of players during the process of tackling and inadequacies in the laws of football and/or their application by match referees were equally responsible for the high levels of injury observed.