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This study aimed to observe the relationships between the maturity status on the network-based centrality measures of young athletes in small-sided soccer games (SSG). The study included 81 male players (14.4 ± 1.1 years). Measurements included height, sitting height, body mass, and bone age (TW3 method). The applied protocols were the following: Countermovement Jump (CMJ), Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (YYIRT1), Repeated Sprints Ability (RSA), observational analysis of techniques, and interactions performed by players in SSG. The relationship between the set of evaluated variables within each maturity status was obtained from the correlational analysis of networks (P < 0.05). The maturity status explained a significant portion of the variance in body mass (η 2  = 0.37), height (η 2  = 0.30), sitting height (η 2  = 0.30), and performance on the YYIRT1 (η 2  = 0.08), CMJ (η 2  = 0.14), and RSA (η 2  = 0.13). No effect of maturity status on network-based centrality measures of young athletes was identified (P > 0.05). For the late maturity group, there was a correlation between the degree of centrality and physical growth indicators (r mean  = 0.88). For players with maturation "on time", physical growth indicators relate to the degree of prestige (r mean  = 0.36). It is concluded that body size and bone age impact how late and on-time maturity groups interact within the match., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Studies and tests to assess the tactical domain of young soccer players are recent, and few instruments meet the majority of quality criteria., Objective: To adapt and validate the Test de Conocimiento Táctico Ofensivo en Fútbol (TCTOF) for the Brazilian context (TCTOF-BRA)., Methods: The article consists of two studies. Study 1 ( n  = 111) included the translation, theoretical/semantic analysis, back translation, cross-cultural equivalence, and content and face validity (pre-test). In study 2 ( n  = 768), a theoretical and empirical item analysis was carried out, followed by construct validity [exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and the known-groups method] and reliability (internal consistency and repeatability)., Results: In the cross-cultural evaluation, the Coefficient of content validity total (CCV t ) of the instrument was 0.96 and in the content validity, the CCV t of the instrument was 0.87. The face validity was confirmed (>95%). After theoretical and empirical analysis, 15 questions were included in the Teste de Conhecimento Tático Ofensivo no Futebol (TCTOF-BRA). The EFA showed a model with adequate fit (KMO = 0.69; Bartlett p  < 0.001), with a factor structure considered very good, composed of four factors (decision making, operational tactical principles, collective tactical-technical elements, and rules). The CFA by the Asymptotically Distribution-Free estimation method demonstrated good and very good goodness of fit indices ( X 2 / df  = 1.54, GFI = 0.99, CFI = 0.94, TLI = 0.92, PGFI = 0.71, PCFI = 0.76, RMSEA = 0.03, and ECVI = 0.26). The known-groups method showed significant differences ( p  < 0.01) and effect sizes varying from small-to-medium to large. With respect to reliability, coefficients of 0.89 (CR) and 0.74 (KR20) for internal consistency and 0.85 for repeatability were found., Conclusion: The TCTOF-BRA presented satisfactory evidence, demonstrating it to be an instrument with valid and reliable measures for the evaluation of tactical knowledge (declarative and theoretical procedural), based on specific knowledge and decision making (cognitive domain), of Brazilian young soccer players from 12 to 17.9 years old., 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 © 2022 Rechenchosky, Menegassi, Jaime, Borges, Serra-Olivares and Rinaldi.)

This scoping review aimed to systematically map studies/tests for assessing the tactical domain of young soccer players. The study followed the PRISMA-ScR and Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines. The databases searched were Scopus, SPORTDiscus, SciELO, LILACS, and BDTD. The eligibility criteria were defined based on the elements of population, context, and concept, without restrictions on the period, language, and type of publication. Twenty-four papers were included, from 1997 to 2020, totalling 29 tests/instruments for the assessment of the tactical domain, with the majority of studies having an European sample. Twelve terms were used to nominate the tactical component, regardless of the assessment method and approach. Six tests met eight or nine criteria in the critical appraisal: TCTOF, TACSIS Spanish version, Semi-Structured Interview, TCTP-OE, GPET, and FUTSAT. Thus, it is concluded that studies and tests for the assessment of the tactical domain of young soccer players are recent and mainly European; there is no consensus about the adopted terminology; and few tests met the majority of the quality criteria. Therefore, we suggest: a) the construction/adaptation of tests with samples from other continents; b) the use of the proposed criteria; and c) that the terms tactical knowledge and tactical performance are adopted.