18 January 2022
Both basketball and soccer are quite common and popular games. While both the games need skills, fitness, and strategies, there is a debatable question about the players. The most frequently asked question is – are basketball players stronger than soccer players?
In this debatable topic, people often try to draw a conclusion about who is stronger than the other. While physicality and superb fitness are required in both sports, soccer players are much stronger than basketball players. There is no denying that both of these sports are physically quite demanding but when it comes to strength and endurance, soccer players are the best in class.
Table of Contents
Physicality: Soccer vs. Basketball
One of the main aspects of soccer, as well as basketball, is physicality, other than skills, fitness, and strategies. Soccer requires long-distance running and you have to run more in soccer than you have to on a basketball court. Soccer players have to constantly run up and down the field while kicking the ball too. Sometimes, the soccer players have to jump for the headshot too. This means football needs more physical endurance as well as strength to constantly defend the ball and try to score the goal.
Basketball players require strength too for defending their basket against the other team as well as for shooting the ball into the basket. The basketball game is more of endurance as the defense has to be stronger here. In fact, there are fewer breaks in between the game than in a soccer game. But the basketball players don’t need to run fast or kick the ball constantly in the game. So, when it comes to physicality, the clear winner is – Soccer!
Which sport is more physical? Watch this video and find out more.
Who is stronger – Soccer players vs. Basketball players?
If you have a question in mind – are basketball players strong? Of course, they are very strong! Basketball players are more varied as they have to combine different athletic abilities in them. They have to run up and down the basketball court while playing defensive and offensive. The basketball game can be quite aggressive at times. But when it is about deciding – who is stronger, the soccer players are the stronger athletes. Just like basketball players, soccer players too need a combination of different athletic abilities.
Some of these abilities that you will find in soccer players are:
- Strength
- Flexibility
- Endurance
- Speed
- Concentration
- Agility
While all these abilities are equally important, the level of strength required to play soccer is the most crucial aspect. The soccer players possess unprecedented strength, explosiveness, and power. This is an aggressive game with more physical contact as well as collisions. You must have seen soccer players getting more injuries on-field than basketball players. Soccer is more about strength and endurance while skills and strategies to are essential.
Why soccer players are stronger than basketball players?
Now that it is quite evident that soccer players are stronger athletes than basketball players, it is important to know why. Here are some of the essential points that can help you to sum things up:
- Distance of running: When you compare the total distance that the players run on average in each game, the soccer players run 2.5 times (approximately) more than the basketball players.
- Speed of running: The speed at which soccer players run on the field while playing is approximately 2 times faster than that of basketball players.
We have another post where we compare NFL players to soccer players. Check it out here.. - Length of the game: The total duration of the game decides the endurance power of the players. While basketball games last for about 48 minutes only, a soccer game lasts almost twice that (90 minutes). Undoubtedly, soccer players need more endurance and strength to play and run for longer.
Conclusion
Hopefully, it is clear to you who are the stronger athletes when it comes to soccer vs. basketball. But if you ask – are basketball players strong? Then definitely the answer is – yes! They are quite strong with a superb level of fitness and endurance. A basketball game is not a cakewalk. It needs jumping, running, and defending too. But when it comes to comparison, soccer players are physically stronger than them due to the reasons mentioned above.
