Abstract
The purpose of this longitudinal study was to investigate whether recruitment status influences neuromuscular and endurance performances in academy soccer players over a 2-year training period (from Under-16 to Under-18). Thirty-seven male soccer players from an elite academy were selected and divided in two cohorts according to their recruitment status: Early Recruitment group (ER; n = 16), training and competing for the academy since Under-14 and Under-15 age groups, and; Late Recruitment group (LR; n = 21) included in the academy training process at Under-16. Squat (SJ) and countermovement jump with (CMJwA) and without arms swing (CMJ), 10-m sprint time, and Vam-Eval test (MAV) were performed in three successive occasions always pre-season (Under-16, Under-17 and Under-18 age groups, T1, T2, and T3 respectively). A two-way (recruitment status × time) analysis of variance with repeated measurements was performed as well as the magnitude of difference using both effect size and magnitude-based inferences. There was no difference between ER and LR for MAV, 10 m-sprint, and SJ from T1 to T3. However, LR players presented non-significant small and possibly greater improvement in CMJ (ES = 0.4) and CMJwA (ES = 0.4) than ER players at T2. These data indicate that early recruitment is not likely to result in greater physical performance improvement at the age of 18.
Highlights
Talent identification and development is considered paramount to ensure long-term economic sportive success and sustainability of professional soccer clubs [1,2]
The results of this study showed that early recruitment does not result in greater physical performance improvement compared to late recruitment in youth soccer players
Key functional capabilities seem to discriminate players already selected and exposed to systematic training [4] our findings indicate that early recruitment may not necessarily elicit greater leg power or endurance capacity
Summary
Talent identification and development is considered paramount to ensure long-term economic sportive success and sustainability of professional soccer clubs [1,2]. Due to the different qualities associated with performance in youth soccer (e.g., physical and psychological), a holistic multidisciplinary approach has been recommended to coaches and scouts [1,4,5,6,7,8]. An important issue is that successful performance in soccer is not related on one standard set of skills, but can be achieved in unique ways through different combinations of abilities [9]. The clubs’ objective is to recruit and nurture players with the intention to play first team soccer. It is clear to see the future competitive and financial gains associated with early recruitment into a professional
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