There is no denying that playing sports is physically draining and mentally exhausting since you exert immense strength to perfect a routine or move. No wonder most sports, like basketball and soccer, require you to run from one point to another. Since both sports are famous and tedious, rookies often ask this question: who is faster, a soccer player or a basketball player?

If you base it on the basketball court and soccer field length, soccer players need more effort to set a goal. Nonetheless, there are more things you can encounter in the following sections—read through the end.

Which Sport Runs the Most: Basketball or Soccer?

Not only are basketball and soccer two of the most popular sports in history, but they also require so much energy and physical strength. Considering that these sports are equally interesting, players and fans often ask this question: which sport runs the most?

To answer the question, it is better to understand that both sports have pros and cons. Playing basketball uses different muscle groups, similar to playing soccer. However, the two sports entail running as one of the means to score a goal.

The advent of the latest technology allowed enthusiasts to look at the statistics of playing sports; ESPN reported in 2008 that the NBA would use STATS (a company that uses motion technology to record sports statistics) to collect accurate measurements.

Gizmodo conducted a study in 2013 using the same STATS data and revealed that soccer is indeed the sport that requires running the most. As per the article, soccer involves a lot of running because it needs constant moving of the ball from one side of the court to another.

In other words, the average that soccer players run per game is greater than that of basketball players. Soccer players run twice as fast as basketball and run at 2.5 times more considerable distances. 

Expectedly, soccer players have more endurance and stamina, considering the length of a soccer field and the longer game duration. Since soccer games are more demanding in terms of crucial factors like game length and court size, it is natural for soccer players to be faster since their field is more spacious.

If you are curious about the technical details of this topic, check out the data below to see the numerical differences between these two sports.

How Far Do Basketball Players Run per Game?

Comparing basketball to soccer does not mean the sport is better or worse than the other. It only means that these sports vary in some aspects while sharing the same purpose and minor technicalities. The first question you need to answer is this: how many miles do basketball players run in a game?

According to the same data from STATS, basketball is physically demanding but not as much as soccer. The main reason behind it is that the nature of basketball alone does not revolve around running but needs a careful decision of movements.

If you possess the ball, you can run fast if an opponent is guarding you. However, it would be best to move around but not run. It explains why it does not run much compared to other sports like soccer.

Another thing is that a basketball court is less spacious than a soccer field. The basketball courts measure 94 feet by 50 feet compared to the 131 by 87 yards length of a soccer field. Hence, player distance is not that defined and allows you to pass the ball without much running involved quickly.

Now, what is the highest mile a basketball player ran? The record was made by Chicago Bulls star Luol Deng with 2.72 miles of running. It may seem exhausting, but soccer players can run up to 9.5 miles in a single game—the speed of an average midfielder is double that of the fastest basketball player.

Are Basketball Players Stronger Than Soccer Players?

No matter what sports you play, your physicality is a significant factor in your performance and skills. Basing the most miles run in a basketball and soccer game, plus the average length of basketball and soccer games, are some factors that can help identify which players are more substantial.

Basketball players generally need more strength in the upper extremities to survive a match, which means they are strong athletes. Nonetheless, are they stronger than soccer players? The short answer is no.

Although both sports involve a combination of athletic abilities, soccer games require more crucial moves. If you watch a soccer game, you can tell that they are more explosive, aggressive, and assertive on the field—which also records more collisions and injuries than basketball.

Without a doubt, soccer players use more endurance and power. These athletic skills are why soccer players have more strength compared to other athletes like basketball players.

In other words, soccer players are stronger because of the nature of the sport. They need to stay energized for a more extended period, run on the more spacious field, and make a goal attempt from a longer distance. 

The question is, are basketball players weak? Of course not. They may stay for a shorter time on the court, but their core strength and support are highly toned. 

5 Reasons Why Soccer Players are Faster Than Basketball Players 

First and foremost, no inferior or superior sports exist because everyone is unique. Some sports need more specified abilities over others. In soccer versus basketball, the former is expectedly based on speed. 

Also, basketball only involves a little speed since the court space is limited. Most of all, you need to calculate every move you make to ensure that your pace is right and not too fast or slow.

If you need a comprehensive discussion of these two sports, the bulleted points below are some reasons to consider why soccer players are more robust.

• Sports Nature

By nature, soccer games are more physically demanding since they are more significant in the amount of every athletic factor, like size, duration, etc. The nature of soccer involves more foot conditioning than basketball, which needs more upper and lower extremities coordination.

• Goal Posts

It is clear to say that soccer players have other goalposts, which cost them more strength to land a chance. Since the distance is much longer, soccer payers undergo more intensive training to build their leg strength and core support.

• Court Size

Soccer players need more strength and endurance since they play in larger spaces. The larger the space, the faster and more comfortable you move around. Based on the size, soccer fields have more area and require more energy to traverse. Basketball courts measure 31.333 by 16.667 yards; soccer fields are usually 131 by 87 yards.

• Game Duration

Apart from the length, a game duration is a factor to consider. If you have more time, you train your endurance harder while improving your speed. Soccer matches last until 90 minutes compared to basketball games which take 48 minutes to conclude. The more time you stay on the court, the more energy and power you exert. Soccer players are undeniably more conditioned for longer game setups.

• Running Speed

Since fields are more spacious, soccer players can maximize their running speed. If you run more, your strength in the lower extremities is more powerful, and you have more muscle mass to support strength exertion.

However, it would be best if you remembered that players differ from each other. It does not mean that all soccer players are stronger since every athlete has a unique training design outside their sports affiliation. 

Wrapping Things Up: Who is Faster: Soccer Players or Basketball Players?

Debates and comparisons between soccer players and basketball players are evident these days. One of the aspects that most athletes want to improve to be called great players is speed. Hence, fans and players often ask, who is faster, soccer players or basketball players?

To answer the question, you must consider several factors like game duration, court size, running speed expectations, etc. Based on the above criteria, soccer players win because their goalpost distance is farther. Meaning to say, they need to exert more effort and faster movement to record a goal.

However, it would be best to remember that it does not matter what sports you play. Shun your competitive impressions between these sports because it is entirely unfair to compare these two sports. Both have unique points and nature that make them more challenging in their ways.

We hope you enjoyed this post! If you did, be sure to check out our other basketball FAQ articles here.

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