# A Bibliometric Analysis of Soccer Biomechanics
## 1 Introduction  
Biomechanics is the scientific discipline that examines the mechanical aspects of living organisms. It involves the study of forces and their effects on living systems and it plays a crucial role in understanding human movement and performance [1]. The field can be broadly categorized into three areas: clinical biomechanics, which focuses on gait, neuromuscular control, and rehabilitation; occupational biomechanics, which deals with ergonomics and human movement in work environments; and sports biomechanics, which aims to enhance performance and reduce injury risk in athletic activities [2, 3]. Specifically, sports biomechanics involves analyzing movements, optimizing techniques, and understanding the mechanisms behind injuries to develop better training and rehabilitation protocols [4]. Therefore, it is a dynamic field that applies principles of mechanics to understand and improve athletic performance. Soccer, often referred to as association football, has widespread popularity worldwide, with an estimated 265 million players and over 4 billion fans globally [5]. Soccer's popularity makes it a significant area of interest for sports science research, including biomechanics [6]. Biomechanics helps in analyzing player movements, enhancing kicking techniques, and improving footwear and equipment design [3]. For instance, studies have shown that the design of soccer shoes can significantly impact player performance and injury risk by affecting traction, stability, and comfort [7]. Additionally, biomechanics iscrucial in understanding the physical demands of football, such as aerobic and anaerobic energy systems involved in different activities during a match [5]. Therefore, the application of biomechanical principles allows coaches and trainers to develop effective training programs and strategies with the aim of increasing athletic performance while reducing the risk of injuries. Bibliometric analysis is a powerful method for evaluating research trends, collaborations, and the impact of scientific publications within a specific field [8; 9]. This method involves the quantitative analysis of bibliographic data, such as citation counts, co-citation patterns, and co-authorship networks, to uncover the structure and dynamics of research areas [10]. Bibliometric analysis helps identify influential works, leading researchers, and key institutions, as well as emerging topics and research gaps [11]. Techniques such as citation analysis measure the frequency of citations a publication receives, whereas co-citation analysis examines how often two documents are cited together and provides a clear insight of the relationships between different pieces of publication [12]. Additionally, bibliographic coupling links documents that share common references, which helps map the evolution of research themes over time [13]. The utilization of these methods allows researchers to gain a comprehensive understanding of the intellectual landscape of soccer biomechanics, guiding future research directions and informing evidence-based practices. VOSviewer is a powerful software tool designed for constructing and visualizing bibliometric networks, with applications in various fields of science and technology. This software was developed by the Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS) at Leiden University to allow researchers to create maps based on network data, including co-authorship, co-occurrence, and citation relationships [14]. One of the key strengths of VOSviewer is its advanced visualization capabilities, which include network, overlay, and density visualizations, making it easier to interpret complex bibliometric data [15]. The software can process data from multiple sources such as Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed, and can also handle data in RIS and CSV formats [16]. Additionally, VOSviewer offers a user-friendly interface with zoom and scroll functionalities, facilitating detailed examination of bibliometric maps and enhancing the overall user experience [16].