FIFA 11+ Test: how to use it to prevent injuries in soccer

The FIFA 11+ is much more than a warm-up program: it's one of the most studied and validated injury prevention protocols in soccer, developed by F-MARC (the FIFA Medical Assessment and Research Centre). Within that program, several exercises work perfectly as screening tests to catch deficits in strength, balance, and neuromuscular control before they turn into an injury.

If you coach soccer teams (especially youth or women's categories, where knee and ankle injury rates are high), using elements of the FIFA 11+ as a baseline assessment gives you very valuable information.

What does this test measure?

The FIFA 11+ as a screening tool mainly assesses lower-body neuromuscular control: knee and ankle stability in single-leg stance, posterior chain strength (hamstrings and glutes), and landing quality on jumps. The goal is to identify risky movement patterns (knee valgus, lack of trunk control, asymmetries between legs) associated with typical soccer injuries such as ACL tears or ankle sprains.

Equipment needed

• A patch of grass or stable surface at least 10x10 meters
• Stopwatch
• Optional: a camera or phone to film and review jump landings in slow motion

Protocol

1. Pick out the exercises with the strongest evaluative component from the program: single-leg balance with eyes closed, the Nordic hamstring exercise, and single-leg landings with controlled deceleration
2. Single-leg balance: the player holds a one-leg stand for 20-30 seconds, first with eyes open, then closed. Watch for swaying, the other foot touching down, or loss of balance
3. Nordic hamstring: with a partner or anchor, the player lowers themselves slowly from kneeling toward the floor using the hamstrings. Watch whether the descent is symmetrical, controlled, and how far they can brake it
4. Single-leg landing: a vertical or horizontal jump on one leg, watching whether the knee collapses inward (valgus) on landing, whether trunk control is good, and whether the landing is quiet/absorbed
5. Repeat each exercise on both legs and compare

Common mistakes

• Testing only one leg and assuming symmetry (asymmetries are exactly what you're looking for)
• Not filming the jumps, which makes it hard to spot dynamic valgus in real time
• Confusing "doing the exercise" with "doing it well": completing the Nordic with a rigid trunk and flexed hip is not the same as doing it with good lumbo-pelvic control
• Using this screening as a substitute for a medical assessment if there's a history of serious injury

How to interpret the result

Finding	Interpretation	Action
Stable balance >20s, no valgus on landings, symmetrical Nordic	Apparently low risk	Maintain a regular preventive program
Loss of balance with eyes closed, mild valgus on landing	Moderate risk	Reinforce proprioception and hip/knee control work
Marked valgus, clear asymmetry between legs on the Nordic, "hard" landings	Elevated risk	Specific prevention program + possible physiotherapy assessment

Relationship with other tests

The FIFA 11+ as a screening tool pairs well with:

• Soccer-specific endurance test (Bangsbo Sprint Test) — combines injury prevention with sport-specific conditioning assessment
• Yo-Yo Test (soccer variants) — a player with a good endurance base but poor results on the FIFA 11+ screening is a clear candidate for prioritizing preventive work

Build prevention into your routine

Tracking these screening exercises throughout the season lets you see whether the preventive work is paying off, and catch early on the players who start showing asymmetries or loss of control. With Movalytics you can log the results of each FIFA 11+ exercise per player and per leg, and follow each player's progress throughout the season.

FAQ

Does the FIFA 11+ replace the team's regular warm-up? Yes, that's exactly what it's designed for: replacing the traditional warm-up with a 20-25 minute sequence with a strong preventive component, without adding extra time to the session. How often should the screening be done? An initial assessment at the start of the season and another at mid-season is usually enough to detect meaningful changes, unless there are players in return-to-play after injury, where follow-up should be more frequent. Is it useful for youth categories? It's especially useful there. Evidence shows programs like the FIFA 11+ significantly reduce injury rates in young players, and catching risk patterns early makes them much easier to correct before they become ingrained.