Association of GPS Metrics with Explosive Lower Limb Power and Their Relationship with Post-Competition Neuromuscular Fatigue in Professional Soccer Players

This study aims to examine the relationship between competition-derived GPS metrics and explosive power, as expressed by the countermovement jump (CMJ), and their influence on neuromuscular fatigue in professional male soccer players. In this observational–longitudinal study, GPS-derived data were collected during 15 official competitions from the same seven players (age = 26.03 ± 4.59 y, height = 180.0 ± 0.076 cm, body mass = 77.88 ± 9.90 kg). CMJ assessments were performed at matchday − 1 (MD + 2) and matchday + 2 (MD + 2) of each competition. CMJ height was significantly decreased from MD − 1 to MD + 2 (p < 0.05). While no significant correlations were found between MD − 1 CMJ values and the examined GPS metrics (total distance covered (TDC), high-speed running distance (HSR-D (m)), sprint-running distance (SR-D (m)), and number of high-intensity accelerations/decelerations (HIA (n)/HID (n), respectively), a significant negative relationship emerged between MD + 2 CMJ height and HIA (n) and HID (n) (p < 0.05). Linear mixed-effects measures revealed the impact of several parameters in three different models: (a) HIA (n) × HID (n) × HSR (m) × SR-D (m), (b) HIA (n) × HID (n) × SR-D (m), and (c) HID (n) × SR-D (m), with univariate testing highlighting significant effects of HIA (n) and HID (n) (p < 0.05). In conclusion, no association was evident between MD − 1 CMJ values and competition GPS metrics, while HIA (n) and DIA (n) were associated with post-competition explosive-power values at MD + 2. Moreover, CMJ reduction from MD − 1 to MD + 2, serving as a competition-induced neuromuscular fatigue indicator, was found to be related to HIA (n) and HID (n) volumes either individually or in association with HSR (m) and SR-D (m) distances, suggesting those to impact post-competition fatigue kinetics.