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INTRODUÇÃO: A capacidade de tomada de decisão no futebol é apontada como uma variável importante para que os jogadores alcancem o alto rendimento no esporte. Além disso, estudos apontam que essa capacidade relacionada às ações ofensivas e defensivas parece se desenvolver de maneira diferente nos jogadores. Apesar da importância desse tema, poucos estudos foram realizados comparando jovens jogadores, especificamente em amostras brasileiras. OBJETIVO: O objetivo desse estudo foi comparar a qualidade e a velocidade da tomada de decisão ofensiva e defensiva em jovens jogadores de futebol de escolas de futebol. MÉTODO: A amostra foi composta por 43 atletas do sexo masculino (14,2 ± 2,1 anos de idade), de escolas de futebol que competem em nível regional e treinam duas vezes por semana durante 60 minutos por sessão. O trabalho foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética da Universidade Federal de Viçosa. O instrumento de coleta de dados utilizado para avaliar a velocidade e a qualidade da tomada de decisão dos jogadores foi a plataforma online TacticUP® (www.tacticup.com.br). Foi realizado o teste de Shapiro-Wilk para verificar a distribuição dos dados e em seguida utilizou-se os testes T de medidas repetidas e Wilcoxon, em função da normalidade dos dados. Foi considerado o nível de significância de p < 0,05. RESULTADOS: Em relação à qualidade da tomada de decisão, verificou-se que os jogadores possuíam uma melhor capacidade de tomada de decisão ofensiva (70,7 ± 8,6 u.a.) comparada à tomada de decisão defensiva (63,5 ± 10,2 u.a.), p = 0,003. No que se refere à velocidade de tomada de decisão, não foram verificadas diferenças significativas. Esses resultados indicam que os jogadores possuíam uma melhor capacidade de ler o jogo e decidir em situações de ataque, quando comparado às situações de defesa, apontando para uma diferença no desenvolvimento dessas capacidades durante a formação esportiva. CONSIDERAÇÕES FINAIS: É possível concluir que, em jovens jogadores de futebol de escolas de futebol desse estudo, a qualidade da tomada de decisão ofensiva foi superior quando confrontada com à defensiva. Não foram observadas diferenças em relação à velocidade de tomada de decisão. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUÇÃO: No jogo de futebol, os jogadores são requisitados a tomarem decisões durante todo o tempo de jogo. Dessa forma, entender como ocorre o desenvolvimento desta capacidade nas diferentes categorias de base se torna importante no processo de formação de jovens jogadores, para individualizar e qualificar o estímulo dado nas diferentes fases de formação. OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar se existem diferenças na capacidade de tomada de decisão entre jogadores de futebol das categorias Sub-17 e Sub-20. MÉTODO: Participaram deste estudo 102 jogadores do sexo masculino, sendo 58 jogadores da categoria Sub-17 (Idade: 16,3 ± 0,6 anos) e 44 jogadores da categoria Sub-20 (Idade: 18,3 ± 1,1 anos) pertencentes a clubes de futebol que disputam campeonatos à nível estadual. O trabalho foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética da Universidade Federal de Viçosa. O instrumento utilizado para avaliar a capacidade de tomada de decisão dos jogadores foi a plataforma online TacticUP® (www.tacticup.com.br). Para análise estatística foi realizado o teste de Shapiro-Wilk para verificar a distribuição dos dados e em seguida utilizou-se os testes T de medidas repetidas e Wilcoxon, em função da normalidade dos dados. Foi considerado o nível de significância de p < 0,05. RESULTADOS: Os resultados foram avaliados considerando os princípios agrupados em: Ofensivo dentro do Centro Jogo (ODCJ); Ofensivo fora do Centro Jogo (OFCJ); Ofensivo Geral (OG); Defensivo dentro do Centro Jogo (DDCJ); Defensivo fora do Centro Jogo (DFCJ); Defensivo Geral (DG); e Jogo Geral (JG). Verificou-se diferenças significativas na qualidade da tomada de decisão para as variáveis OFCJ (Sub-17: M = 64,9 ± 9,5; Sub-20: M = 70,3 ± 8,2, p = 0,005), DDCJ (Sub-17: M = 62,3 ± 9,3; Sub-20: M = 67,1 ± 11,4, p = 0,022) e JG (Sub-17: M = 68,7 ± 5,4; Sub-20: M = 71,5 ± 5,3, p = 0,013). CONSIDERAÇÕES FINAIS: Conclui-se que os jogadores de futebol da categoria Sub-20 apresentaram melhor qualidade na sua capacidade de tomada de decisão e leitura de jogo em comparação à categoria Sub-17 em situações: i) ofensivas distantes da bola; ii) defensivas próximas da bola; iii) no jogo de uma forma geral. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUÇÃO: Os processos de identificação e seleção de talento no futebol podem ser influenciados por variáveis ambientais e individuais. As variáveis ambientais têm relação com o ambiente no qual os atletas nasceram e foram criados. Já as variáveis individuais dizem respeito a aspectos singulares de cada pessoa. É importante entender como essas variáveis podem influenciar na participação de jogadoras de futebol feminino a nível profissional no Brasil. OBJETIVO: Analisar a influência do local de nascimento (Índice de desenvolvimento humano e taxa demográfica) e da data de nascimento na participação de jogadoras de futebol na Série A1 do futebol feminino no Brasil. MÉTODO: A amostra foi composta por 876 jogadoras da série A1 do campeonato brasileiro feminino entre os anos de 2003 e 2020. Os dados referentes ao local de nascimento foram coletados dos sites do PNUD e do IBGE. Os dados do índice de desenvolvimento humano foram divididos em 3 tercis e os da taxa demográfica em 17 intervalos populacionais. Os dados referentes a data de nascimento foram coletados de três diferentes sites e comparados para verificação da sua veracidade. Eles foram divididos em 4 quartis do ano. Foi realizada a estatística descritiva, e o teste Qui-quadrado para verificar as diferentes distribuições das jogadoras entre os intervalos populacionais, os quartis de nascimento e os tercis do IDH. RESULTADOS: Em relação ao local de nascimento, os resultados indicaram que 36,1% das jogadoras da amostra vieram de cidades com taxa demográfica inferior a 100.000 habitantes; e que 79,5% delas vieram de cidades com índice de desenvolvimento humano superior a 0.701. Com relação a data de nascimento, não houve diferenças significativas para a frequência de nascimento das jogadoras em diferentes quartis. Uma diferença significativa só é constatada em relação aos valores absolutos quando comparados os quartis Q1 e Q4. CONSIDERAÇÕES FINAIS: Com base nos resultados do presente estudo, é possível inferir que as variáveis ambientais e individuais parecem influenciar de maneiras diferentes na presença de jogadoras na série A1 do campeonato brasileiro feminino de futebol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective was to assess and compare the tactical conduct of players aged U-8, U-10, and U-12 during full- and small-sided games, focusing on tactical modeling and interaction dynamics. Each age group comprised three teams ( n  = 180; 60 per category; 20 per team), engaging in a tournament where teams faced each other once in both formats - 18 matches; 3 per category in each format. Full-sided games (GK + 10 vs.10 + GK; 100 × 68 m) and small-sided games (U-8: GK + 4 vs. 4 + GK (36 × 20 m); U-10: GK + 7 vs. 7 + GK (52.5 × 34 m); U-12: GK + 10 vs. 10 + GK (68 × 45 m). Standard playing times (3 periods of 12 minutes (U-8s); 3 periods of 15 minutes (U-10s); and 3 periods of 20 minutes (U-12s), with a 5-minute break. Variables were examined using descriptive analysis (mean, standard deviation, and confidence interval), with paired t-tests and Wilcoxon tests employed for inter-format comparisons. Despite players benefiting from more time and space in full-sided games (increased ball receptions and overall ball involvement), results from small-sided games indicate three key advantages: 1) More goals (U-8s: z = -3.44, p  = .050) and shots on target (U-8: z = -3.25, p  = .001; U-10: z = -2.72, p  = .007); 2) Game space management-ball circulation in larger amplitude (U-10: t  = -4.20, p  = .001; U-12: t  = -4.35, p  < .001); and with more transitions (U-10: t  = -3.60, p  = .002; U-12: t  = -4.16, p  = .001) and 3) Fast decision-making-larger ball velocity circulation (U-08: t  = -3.54, p  = .003; U-10: t  = -5.13, p  < .001; U-12: t  = -5.80, p  < .001).

This study aimed to verify whether peripheral perception, tactical behaviour, and physical performance are influenced by acute physical fatigue in soccer players. The study included 24 trained soccer players (18.6 ± 1.5 years) from two Brazilian clubs. The TSAFT90 test was used to induce acute physical fatigue. The results showed that physical fatigue did not affect peripheral perception (p = 0.360). Regarding tactical behaviour, improved efficiency was observed for the principles of offensive coverage (p = 0.029), width and length with the ball (p = 0.044), and concentration (p = 0.008). On the other hand, a reduction was observed in the number of tactical actions of offensive coverage (p = 0.020) and recovery balance (p = 0.042). Also, improved accuracy in the principles of defensive balance (p = 0.009), recovery balance (p = 0.021) and defensive unity (p = 0.003) occurred under physical fatigue. A reduction in the physical performance outcomes total distance covered (p < 0.001), average speed (p < 0.001), sprints (p = 0.029), number of accelerations (p = 0.008) and decelerations (p = 0.008) were also detected. The internal (p < 0.01) and external (p < 0.01) workload was higher under physical fatigue. Overall, acute physical fatigue did not influence peripheral perception. However, physical performance was reduced under fatigue, the perceived effort increased, and tactical behaviours were affected by decreasing tactical actions performed near the ball, increasing errors in defensive movements in the lateral corridors and the last defensive line, and improving offensive tactical actions performance., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

This descriptive study aimed to investigate the current practices of Portuguese and Brazilian soccer coaches in the design and implementation of small-sided games (SSGs) in soccer. A total of 187 male coaches participated in the online survey, consisting of 82 Portuguese and 105 Brazilian individuals. These coaches held various positions within the technical staff, with 63 serving as head coaches, 38 as assistant coaches, 38 as physical trainers, and 48 in other roles related to the technical staff. Additionally, the participants represented both youth (n = 102) and adult competitive levels (n = 59), along with some who were not currently associated with a specific group. The survey consisted of 32 questions divided into three main sections: (i) the timing of SSG application, (ii) the methods used for applying SSGs, and (iii) the reasons for applying SSGs. The Chi-square test revealed a statistically significant association between nationality and the frequency of SSGs used in training sessions during the pre-season (p = 0.039) and in-season (p < 0.001). Moreover, significant association between nationality and the time allocated to employing SSGs for targeting aerobic training (p < 0.001) was found. There was a significant association between nationality and the weekly frequency of SSGs use for targeting sprint training (p = 0.019). The Chi-square test identified significant associations between nationality and the use of SSGs for targeting technical training (p = 0.002), as well as for tactical training (p = 0.002). In summary, this study underscores that SSGs are primarily employed to enhance aerobic fitness, change of direction, technical skills, and tactical behaviors. Coaches generally favor employing SSGs two to three times a week, with typical sessions lasting between 16 to 30 minutes. Notably, the major discrepancies between nationalities lie in the importance assigned to the use of SSGs. However, in practice, the formats and objectives for implementing SSGs remain relatively similar., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests, (Copyright © Biology of Sport 2024.)

Soccer players' ability to make efficient and quick decisions has gained more importance due to the increase in game speed in the last few years. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the relationship between the engagement in previous developmental activities in soccer and futsal with the quality and speed of decision-making skills in different phases of sport development of elite female soccer players. The sample comprised 77 elite Brazilian professional female soccer players. Players' decision-making skills were assessed based on an objective video-based test - TacticUP®. We used a retrospective questionnaire to collect information about previous participation in different developmental activities. The results showed that engagement in deliberate practice in soccer and futsal, especially during childhood and early adolescence, is related to a better quality of offensive decision-making skills, although showing small to medium effect sizes. We highlight that deliberate practice in futsal is associated only with offensive decision-making skills with the ball and near the ball. In turn, engaging in deliberate play in soccer, mainly in childhood and early adolescence, is related to quicker offensive and defensive decision-making skills, showing mostly medium effect sizes. To the best of our knowledge, it was the first study to measure the relationship of decision-making speed with developmental activities in soccer. It is concluded that deliberate practice in soccer and deliberate play in soccer are associated with different dimensions of decision-making skills., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The purpose of this study was to verify whether decision-making skills influence the tactical behavior and physical performance of soccer players under acute physical fatigue, assessed in an actual game-play. The sample was comprised of 24 trained soccer players (18.25 ± 1.48 years old) from two Brazilian clubs grouped into two categories with 12 players each (with high and low decision-making skills). The assessment of decision making, tactical behavior, and physical performance were carried out using TacticUP ® , FUT-SAT, and GPSports ® , respectively. Acute physical fatigue was induced through the T-SAFT90 test. Results showed that under acute physical fatigue players with high decision-making skills maintained tactical behavior efficiency and had their paces reduced, in addition to displaying reduced total distance covered ( p < 0.001), number of accelerations ( p < 0.001), and decelerations ( p < 0.001), and average movement speed ( p < 0.001). On the other hand, players with low decision-making skills displayed reduced tactical behavior efficiency ( p = 0.002) and maintained their movement pace under physical fatigue. It is concluded that decision-making skills contribute to players' tactical behavior efficiency under acute physical fatigue, besides promoting reduced physical strain in movement actions throughout the field., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Dambroz and Teoldo.)

This study aimed to carry out a systematic review to analyze, describe and discuss the effect of physical fatigue on the performance of soccer players. For this systematic review, searches were performed in Pubmed, Web of Science and SPORTDiscus electronic database until October 3, 2020, following the guidelines of PRISMA. A total of 12 articles met the inclusion criteria: i) healthy soccer players from any age group, competitive level or sex; ii) exposure to physical fatigue; iii) pre and post-physical fatigue conditions; iv) players' cognitive, technical, physical and tactical performances and v) no restrictions regarding the study design. The results section was organized in four main dimensions: cognitive, technical, physical and tactical. Studies on cognitive performance have shown divergent results, varying according to the cognitive task employed and the physical protocol used. Regarding technical performance, negative effects of physical fatigue were found on the technical fundamentals of the pass, dribble and kick. With regard to physical performance, studies have shown a reduction in sprint capacity and distances covered at high velocity. Finally, the only study that analyzed the tactical performance in the field showed an increase in the team's collective tactical behavior, but did not include analysis of the players' individual tactical actions. In summary, the results of the analyzed studies show that the effect of physical fatigue on cognitive performance is inconclusive and that technical and physical performance are negatively affected. Regarding tactical performance, there is a lack of information on the topic in the current literature., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Aim: The aim of this paper is to verify how cities' demographic rates and Human Development Index (HDI), as well as the birthdate of Brazilian elite soccer players influenced their identification and development. Methods: The sample was comprised of 5,359 players from the Brazilian Serie A Soccer Championship between 2003 and 2019. Players' birthdate and birthplace data were collected, as well as the HDI from their hometowns. Descriptive statistics, chi-square, Pearson correlation and linear regression tests were performed. Results: Results indicated that players born in the first semester of the year, in cities with a demographic rate of up to 100,000 inhabitants and HDI above 0.501, are more likely to play at the highest level (Serie A) of Brazilian soccer. Correlations were observed between birth quartile and HDI (r = -.059; se = 0.04; p < 0.001), birth quartile and demographic rates (r = -063, se = 0.03; p < 0.001), and between HDI and demographic rates (r = 0.458; se = 0.02; p < 0.001). The linear regression method yielded a valid model that included all three variables in this study (F (2)  = 9.512; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Based on these findings, it is possible to conclude that birthdate, demographic rate and HDI are important factors in the identification and development of soccer players in Brazil.

This study examined the relationship between maturation and signal detection skills, as well as the effect of signal detection on the tactical behavior efficiency of young soccer players. Fifty-four male soccer players participated in the study (U-11, U-13, and U-15). Maturation was evaluated by the Khamis-Roche method, and peak height velocity was estimated. A computer-based test in the Vienna Test System® was used to assess signal detection skills, whereas tactical behavior efficiency was assessed using the System of Tactical Assessment in Soccer. Descriptive analysis, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, the Spearman bivariate correlation and the univariate analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA) were performed. Effect sizes were reported as Cohen's d , and the significance level was set at p < .05. Relationships were observed between the percentage of predicted adult height and signal detection performance. Also, signal detection skills were found to affect the tactical behavior efficiency of young soccer players. It is concluded that the players, as seen more mature, can perceive the game faster and more effectively, and are able to provide quicker responses in the game context.

Abstract: da Silva, CD, Machado, G, Fernandes, AA, Teoldo, I, Pimenta, EM, Marins, JCB, and Garcia, ES. Muscle damage-based recovery strategies can be supported by predictive capacity of specific global positioning system accelerometry parameters immediately after soccer match-load. J Strength Cond Res 35(5): 1410-1418, 2021-Soccer match-load can be linked to recovery kinetic markers. However, match variability hinders the magnitude of relationship between parameters of interest. Therefore, we examined the correlation between 21 global positioning system accelerometry (GPS-A) parameters and changes in serum creatine kinase (CK) concentrations, muscle soreness (MS), and perceptive recovery quality (PRQ) assessed at baseline (1 h before) and post (0 minute, 2, 4, and 24 hours) a standardized 90-minute match-simulation in 20 university players. Global positioning system accelerometry (15 Hz) data were tested as manufacturer and configurable thresholds. Four GPS-A parameters showed moderate to very large correlations with CK changes at all time points (average speed [avgSP, r = 0.75 to r = 0.84]; running symmetry foot strikes [RSfst, r = 0.53-0.63]; running series [RunS, r = 0.53-0.61]; and acceleration distance [AccD ≥ 1.5 m·s-2; r = 0.46-0.61]). Sprint count (≥2 m·s-2), AccD (≥2.5 m·s-2) and speed exertion (SpEx) had a moderate to large correlation (r = 0.46-0.56) with CK changes from 2 to 24 hours. Changes in MS at 0 minute had large correlation with avgSP (r = 0.53) and moderate with deceleration distance (≥-2 and ≥-3 m·s-2; r = 0.47, r = 0.48, respectively). The PRQ changes had moderate inverse correlation with avgSP at 0 minute (r = -0.39) and SpEx at 2 h (r = -0.69). Our results suggest that during a simulated soccer protocol with a standard workload, only the avgSP has practical application for predicting CK changes over 24 hours, allowing for a decision-making toward a postgame recovery based on previously known CK cutoff points. Global positioning system accelerometry parameters and subjective variables did not demonstrate relevant correlation., (Copyright © 2018 National Strength and Conditioning Association.)

The aim of the present study was to compare the visual search strategy (VSS) and anticipation between two groups of young players of different efficiencies in tactical behavior (TB). A total of 44 Brazilian male soccer players aged 14.00 (± 1.06) years from three regional clubs participated in the study. TB was assessed using FUT-SAT; anticipation score was obtained by a video-based assessment, while VSS was performed using the Mobile Eye-XG® system. The soccer players were divided into two groups based on their TB results into those more efficient and those less efficient. The results showed that soccer players with higher efficiency in TB were better at anticipating and performed a higher number of shorter visual fixations and a greater average amount of fixations per location. They were also able to adjust their VSS in performing a longer fixation time on the player in possession of the ball. Therefore, there is support for an integration of visual search strategy and anticipation within tactical behavior. Visual search strategy and anticipation seem to contribute to the efficiency of tactical behavior in young soccer players.

This study aimed to analyze the effects of rules limitations in pass decisions during soccer tasks on physical and mental load reported by players. Participants were 40 semiprofessional Spanish soccer players ( M age = 22.40, SD = 2.25) from two male teams. Two training sessions with four tasks (same tasks with different score system: two maintaining ball possession games with goalkeepers, and two maintaining ball possession games) in counterbalanced order between teams were completed. To achieve a goal during limitation tasks, a minimum number of players had to participate in the passes before the goal. Internal (perceived effort and heart rate) and external physical load (distances), mental load (validated adaptation of the NASA-TXL) and fatigue (VASfatigue) were quantified. Paired t-test and magnitude-based inference were conducted. The results showed significantly higher mean speeds ( p < 0.01), effort perception ( p < 0.001), and mental fatigue (very likely positive) during possession games with restrictions. Additionally, performance satisfaction obtained significantly higher values with goalkeepers and pass restrictions (very likely positive). External physical load showed no significant differences between situations. The influence of mental fatigue on internal load and the complexity of the tasks could explain these results. Coaches can use this information to manipulate the training load in ecological conditions.

In soccer, it is relevant to understand the roles of Systems 1 (intuitive) and 2 (deliberative) in perceptual-cognitive processes and how they influence response time when making decisions. The aim of this study was to analyse how response time in decision making managed by Systems 1 and 2 is associated to the perceptual-cognitive processes of young soccer players. Ninety young soccer players participated. Perceptual-cognitive processes were assessed through visual search strategies, cognitive effort, and verbal reports. Participants wore a mobile-eye tracking system while viewing 11-a-side match play video-based soccer simulations. Response time in decision making was used to create two sub-groups: faster and slower decision-makers. Results indicated that players with faster response time in decision making employed more fixations of shorter duration, displayed less cognitive effort, as well as a greater number of thought processes associated with planning. These results reinforce that there are differences in the way of using the perceptive-cognitive processes from the priority system in the decision-making process. It is concluded that faster decision making, managed by System 1, implies greater ability to employ visual search strategies and to process information, thus enabling increased cognitive efficiency.

In the present study, we aimed to investigate the association between soccer players' cognitive effort and their tactical behavior. We assessed 52 young male soccer players from a first division Brazilian club, using FUT-SAT to evaluate tactical behavior efficiency and Mobile Eye Tracking-XG software and a video test protocol to measure pupillary behavior and cognitive effort. Following data collection, statistical analyses were performed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test, and linear regression. We found a high inverse association between cognitive effort and tactical behavior efficiency; players with less cognitive effort during the task displayed higher values of tactical behavior efficiency on the field. We concluded that sustaining less cognitive effort in game situations helped players realize better tactical behavior and enabled better performance.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of internal and external load in soccer small-sided games (SSGs) and a strength program based on CrossFit combined with SSGs for 7 weeks. Fifty-five students participated in this research (age: 9.04 ± 0.19 years) and were randomly assigned to SSGs ( n = 27) or strength combined with SSGs ( n = 29) group. Two sessions/week were implemented. The results revealed that internal load on SSGs promoted higher levels ( p ≤ 0.001; d = 0.35) of light physical activity (PA) (12.24 cpm) compared with strength combined with SSGs (11.46) and % heart rate (%HR) max ( p = 0.002; d = 0.48) between SSGs (96.21) regarding strength combined with SSGs (92.09). On external load, significant differences appear in total distance ( p ≤ 0.001; d = 0.80) on SSGs (1326 m) compared with strength combined with SSGs (1004 m) and mean velocity ( p ≤ 0.001; d = 0.63) in both groups; 2.71 km/h on SSGs and 2.26 km/h on strength combined with SSGs. The SSGs seem to be more appropriate at the beginning of sessions, but as the weeks advance, strength combined with SSGs results in improved internal load compared with SSGs.

This study aimed to investigate: i) how Small-Sided and Conditioned Games based on different representation and exaggeration modification strategies, from the Teaching Games for Understanding pedagogical principles, affected team performance and exploratory behaviour; and ii) how teams and players of different ages and skill levels were affected by the use of these different modification strategies. In total, forty-eight youth male soccer players participated in the study (U15, n = 24 mean age = 13.06 ± 1.53 years; U17, n = 24 mean age = 16.89 ± 0.11 years). In both categories, players were organized into three groups according to their tactical efficiency level (Group 01 = High Skilled Players (HSP), Group 02 = Intermediate Skilled Players (ISP), and Group 03 = Low Skilled Players (LSP)). The HSP and LSP groups performed two types of Gk+4vs4+Gk Small-Sided and Conditioned Games (SSCGs) based on different representation and exaggeration modification strategies. The first type of SSCGs was modified by structural constraints (Structural SSCG) and the second type was modified by rule manipulation (Manipulation SSCG). Team performance and exploratory behaviour were analysed through the Offensive Sequences Characterization System and Lag Sequential Analysis, respectively. SSCG modification strategies affected differently tactical performance and exploratory behaviour of teams composed of players of different skill levels. It was found that SSCG modification strategy through rule manipulation provided players and teams with a higher level of difficulty, compromising their performance and inhibiting exploratory behaviour. This information is crucial to practitioners wishing to apply more appropriate pedagogical strategies to improve a specific tactical problem using a player-centred and game-based approach., (© 2020 João Cláudio Machado, Daniel Barreira, Israel Teoldo, Jaime Serra-Olivares, Alberto Góes, Alcides José Scaglia, published by Sciendo.)

Objectives: We examine how mental fatigue (MF) influences peripheral perception, tactical behaviour, and physical performance of soccer players during a standardized small-sided game., Methods: Eighteen male university first-team soccer players participated. A modified Stroop task and the Vienna Test System were employed to induce MF and to evaluate players' peripheral perception, respectively. The FUT-SAT test was used to assess participants' tactical behaviour and physical performance was quantified using GPS technology., Results: MF decreased players' visual field (pre-test = 189.9° and post-test = 181.6°). Additionally, MF constrained players to more frequently perform actions related to the tactical principles of penetration, depth mobility, and defensive unity, and less frequently perform actions of defensive coverage and balance. During MF, players showed decreased accuracy in actions related to the principles of offensive coverage, width and length, offensive unity, delay, balance, concentration, and defensive unity. Finally, under MF players covered higher total distance and at more moderate speed., Conclusions: MF decreased players' peripheral perception, making them prioritize actions towards the opposing goal and protecting their own goal, while displaying more errors for most tactical actions. In summary, MF impaired several aspects of players' cognitive and tactical behaviours, causing a compensatory increase in physical performance.

The aim of this study was to verify the effect of an inside floater on soccer players' tactical behaviour in small-sided and conditioned games (SSCGs). The sample comprised 54 Brazilian top-level academy players. The instrument used to assess players' tactical behaviour was the System of Tactical Assessment in Soccer (FUT-SAT). Tactical behaviour was analysed through the number of tactical actions and the percentage of correct actions regarding the core tactical principles of soccer. Repeated measures test was used to compare tactical behaviour between games (SSCGs) with and without an inside floater. Pearson's r was used to verify the effect size of the inside floater on tactical behaviour. As for tactical actions, SSCGs with an inside floater displayed significantly lower means for the tactical principles of penetration (2.76 ± 1.63; p < .001), delay (6.11 ± 2.68; p < .018), defensive coverage (1.64 ± 1.14; p < .001) and significantly higher means for the tactical principle of defensive unity (14.98 ± 4.57; p < .032). With respect to the percentage of correct actions, SSCGs with an inside floater displayed significantly lower means for all tactical principles, except for offensive coverage (90.5 ± 18.48; p < 1.000). It was concluded that the inside floater allowed players to modify their behaviour in such a way that they adapted to the constraints imposed by the presence of an inside floater. Furthermore, the inside floater provided more difficulty for players, and thus may be considered an important task constraint to be added in SSCGs., (© 2020 Felipe Moniz, Alcides Scaglia, Hugo Sarmento, Tomás García-Calvo, Israel Teoldo, published by Sciendo.)

Purpose : This study aimed to investigate if player tactical skill level and age category influence team performance and player exploratory behavior in tasks with different difficulty levels. Method : In total, 48 youth male soccer players participated in the study (U15, n = 24, mean age = 13.06 ± 1.53 years; U17, n = 24, mean age = 16.89 ± 0.11 years). Player tactical skills were evaluated through the System of Tactical Assessment in Soccer (FUT-SAT), allowing them to be organized into three groups according to tactical efficiency: Higher tactical skill level (Group 01), Intermediate tactical skill level (Group 02), and Lower tactical skill level (Group 03). Next, Group 01 and Group 03 of both categories performed six Small-Sided and Conditioned Games (SSCG) each, namely three High difficulty SSCGs and three Low difficulty SSCGs. Team performance and players' exploratory behavior were analyzed through the Offensive Sequences Characterization System and Lag Sequential Analysis, respectively. Results : We found that team performance and players' exploratory behavior were influenced both by the age and tactical skill level of the players, as well as by task difficulty level. Conclusion : Therefore, in an attempt to improve player performance, practitioners must carefully manipulate key task constraints to adapt training task difficulty levels to player age and tactical skill level.

The present study aimed to investigate whether the form and amount of declarative tactical knowledge (DTK) and procedural tactical knowledge (PTK) influence cognitive effort during soccer performance among young players. We assessed 36 male players from a Brazilian first-division soccer club; participants averaged 14.89 ( SD = 1.42) years of age. We evaluated DTK from video simulation tests and PTK through the System of Tactical Assessment in Soccer. We assessed cognitive effort by measures of pupil diameter using Mobile Eye Tracking-XG while players viewed soccer video scenes and made game-related play decisions. After the assessment of tactical knowledge, we categorized the sample according to players' tactical knowledge into participants with higher and lower PTK and higher and lower DTK. Subsequently, we examined the both PTK and DTK groups on cognitive effort. Our results suggest that tactical knowledge influences cognitive effort in that players with higher PTK and DTK displayed less cognitive effort during soccer performance tasks. In conclusion, we observed that PTK and DTK influenced the cognitive effort younger soccer players expended while viewing soccer scenes and making soccer performance decisions.

Objectives: Systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) and diabetes mellitus (DM) are important risk factors for developing cognitive impairment. General life-style changes including physical training are known to reduce elevated blood pressure and sugar levels, as well as improve mental health. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether supervised physical exercise enhances the cognitive status of patients with chronic diseases., Methods: Volunteers with SAH, DM or SAH + DM participated in either aerobic or resistance training during a period of 12 weeks. Several domains of cognitive functions were evaluated using the mental test and training system before and after the 3 months., Results: Participants with either of these chronic diseases demonstrated significantly improved attention and concentration, but not reaction time, following the supervised exercise., Conclusions: Structured physical training promotes several aspects of cognitive functions in diabetic and hypertensive patients.

Interpersonal coordination in soccer has become a trending topic in sports sciences, and several studies have examined how interpersonal coordination unfolds at different levels (i.e., dyads, sub-groups, teams). Investigations have largely focused on interactional behaviors at micro and macro levels through tasks from dyadic (i.e., 1 vs. 1) to team (i.e., 11 vs. 11) levels. However, as the degree of representativeness of a task depends on the magnitude of the relationship between simulated and intended environments, it is necessary to address a discussion on the correspondence between competitive and practice/experimental settings in soccer. The aims of this paper are to: (i) provide a brief description of the main concepts underlying the subject of interpersonal coordination in sports teams; (ii) demonstrate, through exemplar research findings, how interpersonal coordination in soccer unfolds at different scales; and (iii), discuss how coaches and researchers may ensure representativeness for practice and experimental tasks. We observed that papers addressing the analysis of interpersonal coordination tendencies in soccer often resort to dyadic (one vs. one) or sub-group (many vs. many) experimental tasks, instead of full-sized (11 vs. 11) games. Consequently, the extent to which such patterns reflect those observed in competition is somewhat uncertain. The design of practice and/or experimental tasks that rely on sub-phases of the game (e.g., 1 vs. 1, 4 vs. 4) should ensure the preservation of players' behavior patterns in intended match conditions (11 vs. 11). This can be accomplished by measuring the level of action fidelity of the task, ensuring correspondence and successful transfer across contexts.

Most studies on the identification and development of soccer talent have been one-dimensional in nature. Although some multi-dimensional analyses have been conducted, few research studies have assessed in any depth the socio-spatial factors influencing talent development. The aim of this particular study was to analyse variations in the international representation of clubs (n = 821) and countries (n = 59) in the development of players who took part in the 2014 FIFA Soccer World Cup. Clubs and countries were ranked and divided into quartiles according to the number of players developed between the ages of 15 and 21 (clubs and countries that developed players for at least three years between these ages) and the number of official league matches played by these players up to the age of 23. Significant variations were observed between clubs in terms of the number of developed players who took part in the World Cup and the number of official league matches played by these players up to the age of 23 (p < .05), and also between countries (p < .05). The findings reveal the need to carry out more in-depth studies into the type of training and competition engaged in by elite players in the period of development between the ages of 15 and 21. It may be the case that these factors are potentially decisive socio-spatial constraints in the development of soccer talent.

The present study aimed to compare players' tactical behaviour in 3 vs. 3 and 6 vs. 6 soccer small-sided games (SSGs). The sample comprised 3,482 tactical actions performed by 18 U-11 youth soccer players from a Portuguese club, in 3 vs. 3 and 6 vs. 6 SSGs. All participants played eight minutes in both situations and field size was adapted according to the number of players involved (30 m × 19.5 m for 3 vs. 3 and 60 m × 39 m for 6 vs. 6). The System of Tactical Assessment in Soccer (FUT-SAT) was used for data collection and analyses. Descriptive analysis was conducted to verify frequencies and percentages of the variables assessed. The chi-squared (χ(2)) test was performed to compare the frequencies of the variables between 3 vs. 3 and 6 vs. 6 SSGs and Standardized Residuals (e) were used to examine the influence of the frequency of one or more variables within 3 vs. 3 and 6 vs. 6 SSGs. Data treatment was performed through SPSS for Windows®, version 18.0. Results indicated that players displayed safer behaviours in 6 vs. 6 SSG and more aggressive behaviours in 3 vs. 3 SSG. Findings can aid coaches and teachers to develop different players' tactical skills according to the chosen SSG (3 vs. 3 or 6 vs. 6) form.

Affective decision-making is a type of Executive Function related to cost benefit analysis in situations where gains and losses imply direct consequences for the subject. The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of the affective decision-making on tactical behavior in soccer players under the age of 15 years old. The System of Tactical Assessment in Soccer (FUT-SAT) was used to assess tactical behavior. To evaluate affective decision-making, we used the neuropsychological test called The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). The values of the offensive, defensive and game tactical behavior of participants were used to create performance groups. The low (≤25%) and high (≥75%) groups, according to offensive, defensive and game tactical behavior, were compared and shown to be different. The values of the IGT net score of the participants with low and high tactical behavior were compared using the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test. Statistically significant differences between the groups were observed for Defensive Tactical Behavior (Z = -3.133; p = 0.002; r = -0.355) and Game Tactical Behavior (Z = -2.267; p = 0.023; r = -0.260). According to these results, it is possible to state that affective decision-making can influence the tactical behavior of under-15 soccer players.