# The Limited Impact of Running Performance on Football Success in the Turkish Super League
## 1 Introduction  
Performance analysis in football is a field of extensive research, giving valuable information to team coaches [1, 2]. The ultimate goal of performance analysis is to improveperformance that depends on physical, technical, tactical, mental and psychological factors [3; 4; 5]. Time-motion analysis (TMA) is used to study physical performance. This term has been introduced in performance analysis to determine the kinematic parameters of athletes during specific time intervals. TMA involves the systematic examination of athletes' movements and activities during a sporting event to understand the physical and physiological demands of the sport, typically assessing metrics such as the total distance covered, time spent in different activities, and frequency of activities [6; 7; 8]. Early research on TMA was carried out through notational analysis, which represents an economic approach to understand the physical and technical requirements of sports. However, the accuracy of this method varies depending on the experience of the observer and the quality of observation [9]. The solution to these problems was provided by modern technologies (GPS, optical systems, and local systems) contributing to training optimization and competitive performance enhancement [10; 11]. These systems, which, in 2015, FIFA named Electronic Performance and Tracking Systems (EPTS) [12; 13], can accurately provide a large amount of data concerning running performance [14; 15; 16]. In exploring the impact of running performance on team success, several studies have underscored its significant contribution. For instance, [PERSON] et al. [17], analyzing 622 matches from the Polish Ekstraklasa across three consecutive seasons (2017-2020), highlighted that winning teams covered greater total and sprinting distances. Similarly, [PERSON] et al. [18] connected higher running performance with a greater probability of scoring the first goal, positing that such performance can lead to tactical and fatigue-based advantages over opponents in German Bundesliga during the seasons 2011/2012 to 2016/2017. [PERSON] et al. [19] used a sample comprising 52 official matches of a professional soccer team from Stars League over two seasons (2013-2014 and 2014-2015). They also found that winning teams exhibited higher low-intensity running distances. Furthermore, [PERSON] et al. [20] and [PERSON] et al. [21] used as a sample matches of the German Bundesliga during three seasons (2014-2017). They both found correlations between high-intensity running and winning outcomes. These studies underscore the potential of superior physical performance as a contributory factor to successful match outcomes. Conversely, several studies challenge the direct correlation between running performance and soccer success, suggesting a more complex relationship influenced by tactical and technical factors. [PERSON] et al. [22] analyzed matches from the Spanish first division (La Liga). They found no significant differences in physical performance between more and less successful teams, indicating that technical skills and tactical effectiveness might play more decisive roles. [PERSON] et al. [23] and [PERSON] et al. [24] observed that physical metrics like total distance covered and high-intensity efforts were not decisive for winning in elite UEFA Champions League matches (2020/2021 season), suggesting that other aspects such as tactics could be more critical. Similarly, [PERSON] et al. [25] reported a minimal impact of running metrics on team success in the Russian Premier League during the 2016-2017 to 2020-2021 seasons. On the other hand, they found that some technical performance variables had a great effect on match outcome. Furthermore, many studies show the effect of situational variables on the success of teams. Research has shown that the match location plays an important role, with teams increasing the probability of success when playing at home [26; 27; 28; 29].