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The focus on tactics has made assessment more difficult due to the lack of knowledge in the topic and the limitations of current tactical assessment instruments. Purpose : To design and validate a tactical assessment instrument in youth football (TAIS) following an exhaustive, ecological and meticulous process and dealing with the limitations found in the literature. Method : The design was divided in two stages related to its development and validation. During the development stage: (a) a preliminary list of criteria was determined through a literature review; (b) the criteria were delimited through an exploratory observation; and (c) the adequacy of the criteria was determined by consulting experts. In the validation stage: (a) content and comprehension validity were obtained by consulting experts and through a systematic game observation; (b) construct validity was obtained by comparing the tactical outcomes from two groups with different skill levels; (c) criterion validity was established by comparing the tactical outcome using Game Performance Assessment Instrument and the present instrument, and (d) the reliability was obtained through inter-rater reliability. Results : The research process showed that the instrument is a valid and reliable tool comprised of 22 criteria to assess tactical outcomes in 8-12 years old youth football. Conclusion : The TAIS presents several advantages in practical terms with respect to assessment. First, it allows assessment of the three tactical levels nested in the unit of observation. Second, it considers all the player roles. Third, results are presented without general indexes. Fourth, it can be used to assess participants from all the institutional contexts. Finally, it includes contextual variables.

Young players report that they dropout of organized football due to excessive emphasis on technical execution, low success, and the lack of autonomy and motivation experienced by players during training sessions. Purpose : To determine whether a TGfU intervention during a youth football program led players to improve in variables related to dropout. That means tactical-technical competence (decision-making, skill execution), success (successful game performance), autonomy (number of decisions made, player autonomy, number of game involvements, player participation), and motivation (enjoyment, intention to be physically active). Method : Twenty under-11-players and two coaches were recruited from 17 clubs. A pretest-posttest design with a multi-method approach was used. Coaches were trained and mentored in TGfU. Data were collected using Game Performance Assessment Instrument, enjoyment and intention to be physically active scales, and two focus groups with the players and the coaches. Results : Players improved in decision-making, skill execution, successful game performance, number of decisions made, number of game involvements, and intention to be physically active ( p < .05). Participants attributed the results to the TGfU pedagogical features emphasized during the coaches' training and mentoring. Conclusion : Considering the reasons for dropout in football, in terms of excessive emphasis on technical execution, low success, and the lack of autonomy and motivation experienced by players, TGfU could be a useful pedagogical approach for teaching-learning organized youth football. The TGfU pedagogical features emphasized during coaches' training and mentoring could be crucial to obtain these results due to the fact that they were the sub-themes highlighted during the focus groups.