Mariano Giménez; Rodrigo Yáñez-Sepúlveda; Eduardo Báez-San Martín; Wiliam Carvajal-Veitía; Eduardo Guzmán-Muñoz & Carlos Abraham Herrera-Amante

Optimal body composition is a key factor influencing performance in elite sports, including futsal, high-intensity, intermittent team sport with increasing global professionalization. Although Argentine futsal has a strong tradition, anthropometric reference data specific to its professional players and inter-club comparisons remain scarce. This study aimed to describe the anthropometric and body composition profile of professional players in the Argentine and to assess morphological variability between clubs. A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with 126 male professional futsal players from six clubs during the 2017–2019 seasons. Anthropometric measurements were obtained by ISAK Levels 3 and 2 certified anthropometrists, and body composition was estimated using the Ross and Kerr five-way fractionation method of body mass. The overall anthropometric profile showed a median muscle mass of 48.2 % [IQR: 46.1–50.1], adipose tissue mass of 22.1 % [IQR: 20.0–24.2], a sum of six skinfolds of 54.0 mm [40.1–70.0], and a muscle–bone index of 4.12 [IQR: 3.86–4.43]. Five of the seven variables showed no significant differences between clubs, suggesting a largely homogeneous physical profile. However, significant differences were observed in BMI (p = 0.002) and the sum of six skinfolds (p = 0.010. Professional futsal players in Argentina exhibit a relatively homogeneous anthropometric and body composition profile, with inter-club differences primarily reflected in adiposity indicators. These findings provide sport-specific reference values for elite futsal and underscore the need for further optimization of body composition in certain teams.

KEY WORDS: Anthropometry; Body composition; Soccer; Indoor soccer; 5-a-side soccer; Team sports; Sports nutritional sciences.

GIMÉNEZ, M.; YÁÑEZ-SEPÚLVEDA, R.; BÁEZ-SAN MARTÍN, E.; CARVAJAL-VEITÍA, W.; GUZMÁN-MUÑOZ, E. & HERRERA-AMANTE, C. A. Anthropometric profile of futsal players: A cross-sectional, descriptive and comparative study in six Argentine clubs. Int. J. Morphol., 44(3):1055-1061, 2026.