The Genetic Association with Athlete Status, Physical Performance, and Injury Risk in Soccer.

The aim of this review was to critically appraise the literature concerning the genetic association with athlete status, physical performance, and injury risk in soccer. The objectives were to provide guidance on which genetic markers could potentially be used as part of future practice in soccer and to provide direction for future research in this area. The most compelling evidence identified six genetic polymorphisms to be associated with soccer athlete status ( I/D; rs1815739; rs699; rs1049434; rs2070744; rs4253778), six with physical performance ( rs1815739; rs17602729; rs6265; rs2070739; rs12722; rs2070744), and seven with injury risk ( rs1815739; rs2857656; rs1800012; rs12722; rs2289360; rs1800795; rs679620). As well as replication by independent groups, large-scale genome-wide association studies are required to identify new genetic markers. Future research should also investigate the physiological mechanisms associating these polymorphisms with specific phenotypes. Further, researchers should investigate the above associations in female and non-Caucasian soccer players, as almost all published studies have recruited male participants of European ancestry. Only after robust, independently replicated genetic data have been generated, can genetic testing be considered an additional tool to potentially inform future practice in soccer.