They usually involve multi-planar, multi-joint movements which place demand on the body's core musculature and innervation.
Yet both sports and functional movements are dependent on the body's core.
These exercises tend to be the most far-removed from functional movement, due to their attempt to micromanage the variables acting on the individual muscles.
Functional exercises, on the other hand, attempt to incorporate as many variables as possible (balance, multiple joints, multiple planes of movement), thus decreasing the load on the muscle but increasing the complexity of motor coordination and flexibility.
Functional movement usually involves gross motor movement involving the core, which refers to the muscles of the abdomen and spine, such as segmental stabilizers.