Purpose: To understand how tackling leads to injury in football, to develop a framework for classifying tackles, and to identify tackles with the greatest propensity to cause injury.
Method: Video recordings of 123 matches in three FIFA tournaments were used to identify tackling parameters. Team physicians prepared reports of postmatch medical attention to players.
Results: Tackles from the side were twice as likely to require postmatch medical attention as tackles from behind. Injuries to the head/neck of tackled and tackling players and the torso of tackling players were more likely to receive on-pitch medical attention than other injuries. Injuries to the foot for tackled and tackling players and the lower leg and thigh for tackling players were less likely to receive on-pitch medical attention than other injuries. Tackles with the greatest propensity for causing injury involved clash of heads and two-footed tackles for tackled players and clash of heads, two-footed tackles, jumping vertically, and tackles from the side for tackling players.
Conclusion: The laws of football relating to tackling should be reviewed to provide greater protection from injury by reducing the overall level of risk and, in particular, by protecting players from tackles with the highest propensity for causing injury.