ArticlePhysiological reports2025
Comparative analysis of morning and evening training on performance and well-being in elite soccer players.
Article in Physiological reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- The Influence of Time of Day on Critical Swimming Speed in Chronotype-Screened (Neither-Type) Well-Trained Male Swimmers.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Exercise Timing in Sport: Molecular and Physiological Mechanisms Linking Performance, Recovery, and Biological Cost.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Incorporating Squat-Based Training into the Warm-Up Twice Weekly Improves Sprint, Jump, and Change-of-Direction Performance in Young Soccer Players.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Comparative analysis of morning and evening training on performance and well-being in elite soccer players.Physiological reports · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to determine how training at different times of day affects soccer players' performance, mood, and physiological responses. Twenty male professional soccer players participated in the study, which involved small-sided games (SSGs) conducted in both morning and evening sessions. Players' mood states, perceived exertion, heart rate, and performance metrics were measured to assess the impact of circadian rhythms on their physical and psychological responses. Results showed significantly higher HRmean (p = 0.025) and %HRmax (p = 0.022) and significantly lower blood lactate concentration (p = 0.015) in the morning. Despite similar perceived exertion and recovery scores, players reported greater enjoyment in evening sessions (p = 0.0008). Mood states were more favorable in the evening, with significantly lower levels of stress (p = 0.007), fatigue (p = 0.009), and muscle soreness (p = 0.012). The Hooper's Index was also markedly lower in the evening (p = 0.0008). Evening performance was superior, with significantly more ball interceptions (p = 0.033), successful passes (p = 0.0004), and ball possession recoveries (p = 0.025), alongside fewer lost balls in the evening compared to the morning (p = 0.008). In conclusion, the study demonstrates that time of day significantly influences both psychological and physical responses in professional soccer players, with evening sessions leading to a more favorable mood and better performance. These findings support the consideration of circadian rhythms when scheduling training and matches to optimize athletic outcomes.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.