How Many Miles Do Soccer Players Run in a Game?

Soccer is a physically demanding sport and players often cover enormous distances.

Soccer players cover large distances every game. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Soccer is one of the most physically demanding sports in the world.

Players need strength to hold off opponents, speed to outrun them, and power to strike the ball with precision—whether aiming for the goal or clearing it from danger. But perhaps most impressively, soccer demands an extraordinary level of stamina.

For 90 minutes, players are expected to move almost constantly, shifting between walking, jogging, and sprinting, with only brief pauses to catch their breath.

The distance they typically cover during a match might just surprise you.

How many miles do soccer players run in a game?

Soccer players need high fitness levels. / Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

On average, a soccer player runs around 6.4 miles per game, according to an academic study which analyzed the distance covered by players at the 2016 European Championships.

That's about the equivalent of a 10 km race every match.

Of course, the total distance a player covers each match fluctuates based on a variety of factors, including team tactics and player age.

For example, players in a team that likes to use a high-intensity press, or gegenpress, will inevitably run more than players in a team which prefers to be more patient in winning the ball back.

Meanwhile, players tend to run less and less the older they get, according to data from SkillCorner analyzed by the CIES Football Observatory.

The biggest variant when it comes to average distance covered by soccer players, however, is their position.

How many miles does a defender usually run?

Giorgio Chiellini in action for LAFC. / John David Mercer-Imagn Images

According to PlayerData, defenders run an average of 6.1 miles per match.

It's specifically the center backs who bring this average down.

Typically, they are the least mobile players on a pitch, averaging just 5.8 miles per match, while full-backs normally run 6.4 miles.

Full-backs also tend to cover ground in more intense bursts of speed. This is due to them being expected to get up and down the flanks quickly in both attack and defense.

How many miles does a midfielder usually run?

Midfielder Riqui Puig. / Kelvin Kuo-Imagn Images

Midfielders run more than any other soccer players, averaging 6.6 miles per match, according to PlayerData.

Like with defenders, however, there is variance among the different midfield positions.

Central midfielders run an average of 6.9 miles per 90 minutes, while wide midfielders cover less ground, averaging 6.4 miles.

How many miles does a forward usually run?

Luis Suarez. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The primary job of a forward in soccer is to score goals.

As a result, they typically spend most of their time in the opposition's half rather than covering the entire pitch, which means they often run less than other players.

According to PlayerData, forwards cover an average distance of 6.1 miles each match.

Soccer players who run the most

Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski. / IMAGO

In the English Premier League during the 2023-24 season, the player that covered the largest distance in a single match was Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dejan Kulusevski.

Against Everton in December 2023, he ran a massive 8.3 miles.

Meanwhile, in the German Bundesliga, it was SC Freiburg's Maximilian Eggestein who was the division's top runner.

Throughout the entire 2023-24 campaign, he ran a total of 232 miles, which equates to an average of 7 miles exactly in each of his 33 matches.

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