Body Composition Variation among U-19 Futsal National Team Players from Bosnia and Herzegovina According to Playing Position

Abstract

Elite futsal players in addition to other characteristics, must have suitable anthropometric and body composition according to their playing position. The research aimed to determine body composition of Bosnia and Herzegovina U-19 national futsal team players and also determine differences in anthropometric and body composition of players according to their playing position. The sample of respondents consisted of Bosnia and Herzegovina U-19 National Futsal Team players (n=14, average age 18.07±0.48 yrs, body height 181.40±5.72 cm, and body weight 77.66±10.60 kg). Anthropometric characteristics and body composition were evaluated by a battery of 11 variables: body height (BH), body mass (BM), triceps skinfold (TS), biceps skinfold (BiS), back skinfold (BS), abdominal skinfold (AS), upper leg skinfold (UlS), lower leg skinfold (LlS), body mass index (BMI), fat percentage (FP), and muscle mass percentages (MP). Futsal players were divided according to their positions in the team into goalkeepers, defenders, wingers and pivots. Based on ANOVA and post-hoc tests, the findings showed that there were significant differences between groups in 8 out of 11 anthropometric parameters. So, in relation to this, the main findings of the study indicate that: i) goalkeepers and pivots have significantly higher body mass and percentage of fat compared to defenders and wingers; ii) goalkeepers have a higher BMI than all other players, while pivots have higher BMI values than defenders and wingers; iii) muscle mass favors goalkeepers and pivots over wingers; iv) goalkeepers had significantly higher values in triceps and biceps skinfold measurements compared to other players, as well as in lower leg skinfold compared to defenders and wingers, and in back skinfold compared to wingers. Although this study is significant, because it examines the morphology of elite futsal players and indicates certain differences in the anthropometric characteristics of futsal players according to the positions in the team. However, we must interpret these results cautiously due to the limited sample size of participants.