Analysis of the External Load of Hungarian Second Division Professional Footballers over Three Seasons Using GPS-Based Monitoring

Background/Objectives: Soccer is a team sport that places significant physical demands on players. Players cover greater distances at higher speeds, and the number of high-intensity movements is increasing. The present study analyzed the locomotor and mechanical variables of Hungarian second division professional soccer players over three seasons (2022/23, 2023/24, 2024/25), using Catapult Vector S7 and processing data from 94 matches. Methods: We included 94 matches in the study (2022/23: N=38; 2023/24: N=29; 2024/25: N=27), in which only the data of players who played the entire matches were analyzed, excluding red card matches. Performance data was collected using Catapult Vector S7 10 Hz GNNS system. Results: The median average distance covered decreased continuously from the 2022/23 season (10.210 m) to the 2024/25 season (9.795 m) (H (2) = 14.14, p