ARE SOCCER PLAYERS THE MOST FIT ATHLETES ON THE PLANET?

I produced, wrote, shot, edited, and hosted this video for Vox.com

Soccer might be one of the hardest sports to train for. Players need endurance to run for 90 minutes, with only one 15-minute break. And in the World Cup knockout rounds, if there is a tie, match time could extend to 120 minutes. Over the course of a game, the average player runs between 6 and 8 miles. But endurance is just a piece of the puzzle. Players also need to be capable of explosive acceleration, quick stops, jumping, and have a surprising amount of upper body strength.

In order to find out how players get into shape to play this exhausting sport, I went to a practice with Brooklyn F.C. and ran a few drills myself.