Comparative Analysis of Morphological Characteristics of Goalkeepers in Football and Handball

The goal of this research was to determine differences between top football and handball goalkeepers in morphological characteristics. The sample consisted of 10-13 handball and 7-10 football top senior goalkeepers. Morphological characteristics were assessed using a battery of 12 anthropometrical variables – 4 variables for the assessment of longitudinal skeletal dimensionality, 4 for subcutaneous adipose tissue, and 4 for body voluminosity. The standard central and dispersion parameters were calculated for all the variables. The significance of differences between football and handball goalkeepers in the measured morphological characteristics were determined by t-test for independent samples. It was determined that the handball and football goalkeepers differ in the following variables: arm span (ALRR), back skinfold (ANL), upper arm skinfold (ANNAD), abdomen skinfold (ANT), right thigh circumference (AVONATD), waist circumference (AVOT), and body mass (AVTT). The football goalkeepers had lower values in longitudinal skeletal dimensionality, subcutaneous adipose tissue and body voluminosity.