This study investigates the epidemiology of muscle injuries in professional football (soccer), focusing on their incidence, nature, and impact on players and teams. The research involved 51 football teams with 2,299 players over a period of 2001–2009. The study identified 2,908 muscle injuries, with an average of 0.6 injuries per player per season. Muscle injuries accounted for 31% of all injuries and caused 27% of total injury absence. The four most common muscle injury locations were the hamstrings (37%), adductors (23%), quadriceps (19%), and calf muscles (13%). Ninety-two percent of all muscle injuries affected these four major lower limb muscle groups. Sixteen percent of the injuries were re-injuries, which resulted in significantly longer absences than initial injuries. The incidence of muscle injuries increased with age, particularly for calf muscle injuries. The study also found that muscle injuries occurred more frequently during match play than training, with the highest incidence in the first half of matches. Artificial turf was associated with a lower incidence of muscle injuries compared to natural grass. Re-injuries were more common in the SWE and ART cohorts than in the UCL cohort. The study highlights the significant impact of muscle injuries on professional football, emphasizing the need for better prevention and rehabilitation strategies. The findings underscore the importance of understanding the different types of muscle injuries and their underlying causes to improve player health and team performance.This study investigates the epidemiology of muscle injuries in professional football (soccer), focusing on their incidence, nature, and impact on players and teams. The research involved 51 football teams with 2,299 players over a period of 2001–2009. The study identified 2,908 muscle injuries, with an average of 0.6 injuries per player per season. Muscle injuries accounted for 31% of all injuries and caused 27% of total injury absence. The four most common muscle injury locations were the hamstrings (37%), adductors (23%), quadriceps (19%), and calf muscles (13%). Ninety-two percent of all muscle injuries affected these four major lower limb muscle groups. Sixteen percent of the injuries were re-injuries, which resulted in significantly longer absences than initial injuries. The incidence of muscle injuries increased with age, particularly for calf muscle injuries. The study also found that muscle injuries occurred more frequently during match play than training, with the highest incidence in the first half of matches. Artificial turf was associated with a lower incidence of muscle injuries compared to natural grass. Re-injuries were more common in the SWE and ART cohorts than in the UCL cohort. The study highlights the significant impact of muscle injuries on professional football, emphasizing the need for better prevention and rehabilitation strategies. The findings underscore the importance of understanding the different types of muscle injuries and their underlying causes to improve player health and team performance.