Somatotype of Croatian Amateur Soccer Players – Positional Differences

With the aim of analysing positional differences in somatotype characteristics, the Heath-Carter method was used to calculate the somatotype of Croatian amateur senior soccer players (N=40). The goalkeepers (N=5) averagely fit the balanced endomorph category, the defenders (N=13) and the forwards (N=9) fit the endo-mesomorph category, whereas the midfielders (N=13) fit the central somatotype category. The subjects were classified into 11 out of the 13 possible somatotype categories. Dominance of the mesomorph somatotype component was noticed in 37% of the subjects, whereas the endomorph component dominated in 27% of the soccer players. By analysis of variance it was determined that the goalkeepers were taller than the midfielders and the forwards, the midfielders were significantly lighter than the defenders and the goalkeepers, and the defenders were more mesomorphic than the midfielders and the goalkeepers. In comparison to elite soccer players, amateur soccer players are less mesomorphic and more endomorphic.