Two genders, different roads? Comparing talent development pathways between female and male elite football players in Brazil
The purpose of this study was threefold: 1) to compare the engagement in various types and amounts of football activities during childhood and adolescence between female and male Brazilian elite youth football players; 2) to test what talent development pathway characterizes youth development in fem
What does research tell us about scouting in football? A scoping review with evidence gap-map
Aim We examined scientific literature focusing on scouting practices in professional football, as well as presenting an evidence gap-map to facilitate future research. Methods The study followed the PRISMA 2020 and Cochrane’s guidelines, and PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). T
Timing is everything: An analysis of the relative age effect in a professional football club
Introduction The Relative Age Effect (RAE) refers to the advantage that athletes born earlier in the selection year have over their later-born peers. This study analyzed the presence and evolution of RAE in a Spanish professional soccer club, considering sex, competitive level, and playing position.
The tactical profile of goalkeepers in Football: A scoping review with evidence gap-map
The current football game and its evolution demands a regular participation of the goalkeeper during the several phases of the game. The present scoping review aimed: i) to identify the goalkeeper’s tactical profile, ii) to identify the assessment methodologies used, and iii) to provide direct
The effect of 14 training sessions on the development of decision-making skills in U-13 soccer players.
El fútbol es un fenómeno social y deportivo. En consecuencia, la iniciación al fútbol tiene un potencial educativo y formativo en cuanto a la enseñanza y el entrenamiento. Por ello, el objetivo de este estudio fue verificar la influencia de 14 sesiones de un programa de entrenamiento basado en
Impact of temperature on physical and cognitive performance in elite female football players during intermittent exercise
There is limited research on female football players, especially related to their physical and cognitive performance under different climactic conditions. We analyzed the impact of a hot environmental temperature on physical performance and anticipation in elite female football players during a fati
Mapping talent pathways: A comparative study of developmental activities and practice structure in Brazilian and Spanish U-18 elite youth male soccer players
The purpose of this study was threefold: (1) to compare the engagement in various types and amounts of soccer activities during childhood and adolescence between Brazilian and Spanish elite youth soccer players; (2) to test what talent development pathway characterizes youth development in elite soc
Contribution of deliberate practice, play, and futsal to the acquisition of decision-making skills in Brazilian professional female soccer players
Previous research showed that deliberate practice and play contribute to developing decision-making skills in male soccer players. However, there is no evidence for female players. Therefore, this is the first study to analyse the contribution of deliberate practice, play, and futsal to develop deci
Developing cognitive and motor decision-making skills through tactical principles and small-sided games in youth soccer
This study aimed to verify the influence of 25 training sessions based on tactical principles and small-sided and conditioned games (SSCG) in developing cognitive and motor decision-making skills of U-12 soccer players. Participants were 25 U-12 elite male soccer players from a Brazilian first div
Variations of wellbeing measures between player’s participation in a match and aplaying position: a study of youth soccer players
Soccer is a sport characterized by combining high-intensity actions with low-intensity actions. This makes it a complex sport, where monitoring the impact of actions that occur both in training and in matches are of great interest to coaches. However, this interest has focused on physical and physio