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Exercise is a prone condition to enhanced oxidative stress and damage and the specific activity pattern of a soccer match may favour additional pro-oxidant redox alterations. To date, no studies have reported the impact of a soccer match on oxidative stress and muscle damage markers.

To analyse the effect of a competitive soccer match on plasma levels of oxidative stress and muscle damage markers, and to relate these findings with lower limb functional data.

Blood samples, leg muscle strength, sprint ability and delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) were obtained in 16 soccer players before, at 30 min, 24, 48 and 72 h after a soccer match. Plasma creatine kinase (CK), myoglobin (Mb), malondialdehyde (MDA), sulfhydryl (–SH) groups, total antioxidant status (TAS), uric acid (UA) and blood leukocyte counts were determined.

A soccer match elevated plasma Mb …