Influence of Age and Body Size on the Dribbling Performance of Young Elite Soccer Players: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study
Background/Objectives: Dribbling is a fundamental skill in soccer, but assessing the performance of youth players in this skill is complicated by the confounded effects of age and physical development. In this study, our aim was to quantify the interactive effects of age, height, and mass on the dri...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-03-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5142/10/2/118 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849431463412367360 |
|---|---|
| author | Thiago V. Camata Andrew H. Hunter Nicholas M. A. Smith Mathew S. Crowther Marcelo Alves Costa Felipe A. Moura Robbie S. Wilson |
| author_facet | Thiago V. Camata Andrew H. Hunter Nicholas M. A. Smith Mathew S. Crowther Marcelo Alves Costa Felipe A. Moura Robbie S. Wilson |
| author_sort | Thiago V. Camata |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background/Objectives: Dribbling is a fundamental skill in soccer, but assessing the performance of youth players in this skill is complicated by the confounded effects of age and physical development. In this study, our aim was to quantify the interactive effects of age, height, and mass on the dribbling performance of 180 players between 10 and 21 years old from an elite Brazilian junior academy. Methods: For each player, we quantified their dribbling and sprinting speed along four different paths with varying curvature, and their ability to perform specific, directed dribbling drills using one or both feet. To characterise patterns of variation among player’s age, height, and mass—and to control for their confounding effects—we used a principal component analysis (PCA) to create a multivariate index of age and size (ASI). Results: Dribbling, sprinting, and directed dribbling were all positively associated with ASI; however, age alone was a better predictor of performance than ASI. Using multi-model inference, we found that a player’s overall dribbling was best predicted by models that included sprint speed and overall directed dribbling ability (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). When performing subsequent analyses that separate each of the directed dribbling drills into using dominant, non-dominant, or both feet, we found the best predictors of overall dribbling performance were sprinting and directed dribbling activities that use both feet. Conclusions: These results provide the first set of normative data for a detailed metric of dribbling performance and soccer-specific foot coordination that can allow players and coaches to compare and assess their performances relative to a single population of high-quality junior players |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5d0e0225307a40428e64ae1a0927ec9c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2411-5142 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology |
| spelling | doaj-art-5d0e0225307a40428e64ae1a0927ec9c2025-08-20T03:27:37ZengMDPI AGJournal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology2411-51422025-03-0110211810.3390/jfmk10020118Influence of Age and Body Size on the Dribbling Performance of Young Elite Soccer Players: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive StudyThiago V. Camata0Andrew H. Hunter1Nicholas M. A. Smith2Mathew S. Crowther3Marcelo Alves Costa4Felipe A. Moura5Robbie S. Wilson6School of the Environment, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaSchool of the Environment, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaSchool of the Environment, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2000, AustraliaSports Science, Centro Universitário Filadélfia, Londrina 86010-520, BrazilSport Sciences Department, State University of Londrina, Londrina 86057-970, BrazilSchool of the Environment, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaBackground/Objectives: Dribbling is a fundamental skill in soccer, but assessing the performance of youth players in this skill is complicated by the confounded effects of age and physical development. In this study, our aim was to quantify the interactive effects of age, height, and mass on the dribbling performance of 180 players between 10 and 21 years old from an elite Brazilian junior academy. Methods: For each player, we quantified their dribbling and sprinting speed along four different paths with varying curvature, and their ability to perform specific, directed dribbling drills using one or both feet. To characterise patterns of variation among player’s age, height, and mass—and to control for their confounding effects—we used a principal component analysis (PCA) to create a multivariate index of age and size (ASI). Results: Dribbling, sprinting, and directed dribbling were all positively associated with ASI; however, age alone was a better predictor of performance than ASI. Using multi-model inference, we found that a player’s overall dribbling was best predicted by models that included sprint speed and overall directed dribbling ability (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). When performing subsequent analyses that separate each of the directed dribbling drills into using dominant, non-dominant, or both feet, we found the best predictors of overall dribbling performance were sprinting and directed dribbling activities that use both feet. Conclusions: These results provide the first set of normative data for a detailed metric of dribbling performance and soccer-specific foot coordination that can allow players and coaches to compare and assess their performances relative to a single population of high-quality junior playershttps://www.mdpi.com/2411-5142/10/2/118skillperformancedevelopmenttalent identificationfootball |
| spellingShingle | Thiago V. Camata Andrew H. Hunter Nicholas M. A. Smith Mathew S. Crowther Marcelo Alves Costa Felipe A. Moura Robbie S. Wilson Influence of Age and Body Size on the Dribbling Performance of Young Elite Soccer Players: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology skill performance development talent identification football |
| title | Influence of Age and Body Size on the Dribbling Performance of Young Elite Soccer Players: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study |
| title_full | Influence of Age and Body Size on the Dribbling Performance of Young Elite Soccer Players: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study |
| title_fullStr | Influence of Age and Body Size on the Dribbling Performance of Young Elite Soccer Players: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Influence of Age and Body Size on the Dribbling Performance of Young Elite Soccer Players: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study |
| title_short | Influence of Age and Body Size on the Dribbling Performance of Young Elite Soccer Players: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study |
| title_sort | influence of age and body size on the dribbling performance of young elite soccer players a cross sectional descriptive study |
| topic | skill performance development talent identification football |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5142/10/2/118 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT thiagovcamata influenceofageandbodysizeonthedribblingperformanceofyoungelitesoccerplayersacrosssectionaldescriptivestudy AT andrewhhunter influenceofageandbodysizeonthedribblingperformanceofyoungelitesoccerplayersacrosssectionaldescriptivestudy AT nicholasmasmith influenceofageandbodysizeonthedribblingperformanceofyoungelitesoccerplayersacrosssectionaldescriptivestudy AT mathewscrowther influenceofageandbodysizeonthedribblingperformanceofyoungelitesoccerplayersacrosssectionaldescriptivestudy AT marceloalvescosta influenceofageandbodysizeonthedribblingperformanceofyoungelitesoccerplayersacrosssectionaldescriptivestudy AT felipeamoura influenceofageandbodysizeonthedribblingperformanceofyoungelitesoccerplayersacrosssectionaldescriptivestudy AT robbieswilson influenceofageandbodysizeonthedribblingperformanceofyoungelitesoccerplayersacrosssectionaldescriptivestudy |