INTRODUCTION: Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease which is worsened by physical inactivity. Subclinical myocardial dysfunction is associated with increased risk of heart failure and impaired prognosis in T2DM; however, it is not clear if exercise training can counteract the early signs of diabetic heart disease. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of soccer training on cardiac function, exercise capacity and blood pressure in middle-aged men with T2DM. METHODS: Twenty-one men aged 49.8±1.7 yrs with T2DM and no history of cardiovascular disease, participated in a soccer training group (STG; n=12) that trained one h twice a week or a control group (CG; n=9) with no change in lifestyle. Examinations included comprehensive transthoracic echocardiography, measurements of blood pressure, maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) and intermittent endurance capacity before and after 12 and 24 wks. Two-way repeated-measures ANOVA was applied. RESULTS: After 24 wks of soccer training, left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic diameter and volume were increased (P