Countermovement jump performance 48 hours after competition and its association with match external load in professional women's football players: A repeated-measures study

Women's football requires monitoring variables affecting post-competition performance and neuromuscular fatigue. Countermovement jump (CMJ) height may serve as a fatigue indicator, and its link to external load may optimize preparation. This study aimed to quantify CMJ height changes from 24 h pre- to 48 h post-match in professional female players and examine associations with match external load, playing position, and match location. An observational study tracked 13 outfield players from a Colombian club, yielding 57 player-match observations across 10 league matches. CMJ height was assessed using a Chronojump platform, and load was measured using 10-Hz Catapult GPS devices. Primary pooled models and within-player fixed-effects models analyzed 48-h CMJ height relative to pre-match baseline, PlayerLoad, high-speed running (>23 km·h ⁻¹ ), position, and location. CMJ height decreased by 1.08 cm at 48 h post-match (−2.68%; 95% CI: −1.42 to −0.74; p < 0.001). In the pooled model, PlayerLoad was not clearly associated with 48-h CMJ, while each additional 50 m covered at >23 km·h ⁻¹ was associated with a 0.55-cm higher CMJ (95% CI: 0.13 to 0.98). However, within-player analysis revealed no clear association for PlayerLoad or high-speed distance. Positional contrasts were exploratory, and location differences were small (0.08 cm). Although match play reduces CMJ height, external load metrics do not clearly explain within-player match-to-match variations in performance. The positive pooled association with high-speed running reflects between-player differences rather than causality. Interpret post-match CMJ changes longitudinally against individual baselines rather than relying on isolated external load metrics or universal team thresholds.