How does mental fatigue affect soccer performance during small-sided games? A cognitive, tactical and physical approach.

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.

Developing Talented Soccer Players: An Analysis of Socio-Spatial Factors as Possible Key Constraints.

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.

¿Cómo evaluar la táctica en fútbol? sistema de evaluación de la tácticaen fútbol (fut-sat) / Como avaliar a tática no futebol? sistema de avaliação tática em futebol(fut-sat) / How to evaluate the soccer tactics? system of tactical assessment in soccer(fut-sat)

En el presente trabajo se propone una revisión de las herramientas de evaluación que se preocupan por valorar los aspectos tácticos del juego en Fútbol. A su vez, se ha realizado la transcripción científico-cultural al español sobre la conceptualización y aplicación de los principios tácticos fundamentales del Fútbol. Esto será útil para entender una innovadora herramienta de medición en Fútbol que parte de los elementos tácticos del juego, denominada: Sistema de Evaluación Táctica en el Fútbol o FUT-SAT. Actualmente, el FUT-SAT es un instrumento de evaluación algo desconocido en el ámbito de habla española, siendo el objetivo de este trabajo darlo a conocer, y de este modo que pueda ser utilizado por profesores y entrenadores para mejorar el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje y el nivel de los jóvenes jugadores en Fútbol, así como aportar nuevas ideas para la evaluación táctica en otros deportes de invasión.

Este trabalho se propõe a realizar uma revisão dos instrumentos de avaliação da componente tática no futebol. Ao mesmo tempo, este artigo procedeu à tradução e adaptação transcultural para a língua Espanhola da conceptualização e aplicação dos princípios táticos fundamentais do jogo de futebol. Estes princípios fazem parte da fundamentação teórica do Sistema de Avaliação Tática no futebol (FUT-SAT), que atualmente, tem sido um instrumento amplamente utilizado no contexto mundial. Entretanto, na língua espanhola a utilização deste instrumento tem sido diminuto devido os seus documentos originais de proposição e validação estarem escritos nas línguas inglesa e portuguesa. Assim, este estudo pretende torná-lo conhecido e acessível em língua Espanhola, de forma que professoreS e treinadores possam melhorar seu processo de ensino-aprendizagem e,consequentemente, o nível dos jovens jogadores. Além do que, com base nesta ferramenta estes profissionais poderão aportar novas ideias para a avaliação tática em outros esportes de invasão.

This paper proposes an assessment tools review that worry about measuringthe tactical principles in soccer. At the same time, scientific and culturaltranscription has been done to the Spanish of the conceptualization andimplementation of fundamental tactical principles in soccer. This will beuseful to understand an innovative measurement tool in Football as partof the tactical elements of the game, called: System of Tactical Assessmentin Soccer or FUT-SAT. Currently, FUT-SAT is an evaluation tool rather unknownin the Spanish-speaking field, being the study objective to presentthis tool, and so that can be used by teachers and trainers to improve theteaching and learning process and youth players in soccer, as well as bringnew ideas for tactical evaluation in other invasion sports.

Affective decision-making and tactical behavior of under-15 soccer players.

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.