Background: Knowledge of skill-related risk factors for injury in football is limited.
Objective: To investigate whether there is an association between football skills and risk of injury in football.
Study design: Prospective cohort study of the incidence of injuries and a retrospective evaluation of the players' skill-level.
Methods: Exposure and injuries were registered prospectively in 82 of 125 football teams (1665 of 2540 female Norwegian amateur players aged 13-17 years) throughout one football season (March-October 2007). A standardised questionnaire designed to assess the football skills of each player was completed by the coaches after the season.
Results: Across the different skill attributes, the injury incidence in the high-skilled players varied from 4.4 to 4.9 injuries per 1000 player hours, compared to 2.8 to 4.0 injuries per 1000 player hours in the low-skilled players. Players skilled at ball receiving, passing and shooting, heading, tackling, decision-making when in ball possession or in defence and physically strong players were at significantly greater risk of sustaining any injury, an acute injury and a contact injury than their less skilled teammates (rate ratio: 1.50-3.19, all p<0.05).
Conclusions: Players with high levels of football skill were at greater risk of sustaining injuries than their less skilled teammates.