Soccer might be one of the hardest sports to train for. Players need endurance to run for 90 minutes, with only one 15-minute break. And in the World Cup knockout rounds, if there is a tie, match time
Soccer (Football): Outfield players average 10 to 12 km per 90-minute match, largely depending on their specific position (e.g., midfielders cover the most ground).
Rugby (Union/League): Players average about 6 to 7 km over an 80-minute match, which is characterized by intense bursts of sprinting, tackling, and physical rucks interspersed with static play.
Australian Rules Football (AFL): Players average 12 to 14 km per game (with midfielders often logging upwards of 15 km) due to the massive dimensions of the ovals and constant multi-directional running without extended stoppages.
American Football: Average players (including highly active roles like cornerbacks) run roughly 2 km per game, owing to the extremely short play durations (typically under 10 seconds per snap) and frequent substitutions.
I once joined an amateur club while living in Beijing, where there's a mix of expats and locals in the league. There was one skinny American, probably early 20s, proclaimed after training one day that he just needs to "run more" during matches. He broke his arm in the first pre-season friendly after being shouldered and fell. It's truly not just about running.
Physical demands are one thing but there is a lot more to it than that. The balance, coordination, physique, determination, competitiveness, imagination, technical capability and decision making needed to be even a semi pro are off the scale. It starts when kids are 4-5 years old. You will see maybe one in 200 who have the basis for what you need and you will see it straight away. Everyone will. And if you don’t start that young you will never catch up. The idea that NFL and NBA players could just turn their hand to football could only gain traction in the US where people just assume Americans are the best at everything
The physical part is only part 1 of many. The most important part is anticipation of the next moves by all members and what is the best move. It's real time chess with 21 other players with full blown exercise
Football's hard because your legs are heavier and slower to move precisely, and the nerve signals to your feet travel farther and take longer than to your hands, which is why foot skill is so much harder to develop than hand skill. Unlike hand sports (american football, basketball), you can't just pick up this sport in your late teens and become good at it.
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Rugby (Union/League): Players average about 6 to 7 km over an 80-minute match, which is characterized by intense bursts of sprinting, tackling, and physical rucks interspersed with static play.
Australian Rules Football (AFL): Players average 12 to 14 km per game (with midfielders often logging upwards of 15 km) due to the massive dimensions of the ovals and constant multi-directional running without extended stoppages.
American Football: Average players (including highly active roles like cornerbacks) run roughly 2 km per game, owing to the extremely short play durations (typically under 10 seconds per snap) and frequent substitutions.