Football Talent Research Articles

Research on the Training of Reserve Football Talents at Home and Abroad — On the Strategy of Training Reserve Football on Campus

This research takes the training strategy of reserve football talents on campus as the research object, and takes the literature method and logical analysis method as the research method to analyze and discuss the drawbacks of the existing strategy of reserve football talents training on campus in China and to integrate with the international standards, and to dig deeply into the problems of the current training strategy of reserve football talents under the current mode. Theoretical Significance: Exploring the strategy of combining teaching and sports with training of reserve football talents on campus is to promote the wider, deeper and healthy development of youth football in China, to promote the healthy growth of young students, to consolidate the football foundation of our country, to cultivate more excellent football talents, to provide a theoretical basis for the construction and development of football schools with Chinese characteristics, and to provide a theoretical reference for our schools. The sustainable development of football has laid a good theoretical foundation. Practical Significance: Football itself is an important part of school education and an inevitable requirement to promote students'all-round development. Through the training strategy of reserve football talents on campus, we can develop teenagers' football on campus, cultivate students'interest in football, cultivate students' good will quality and expand students'participation in football. On the basis of the intensity of football training on campus, we find new seedlings of football, further improve their football skills and level, effectively improve the quantity and quality of football reserve talents on campus, train high-quality football talents for the country, and fully demonstrate the practical significance of implementing the strategy of training football reserve talents on campus.

Innovative player evaluation: Dual-possibility Pythagorean fuzzy hypersoft sets for accurate international football rankings

This study introduces an advanced approach for ranking international football players, addressing the inherent uncertainties in performance evaluations. By integrating dual possibility theory and Pythagorean fuzzy sets, the model accommodates varying degrees of ambiguity and imprecision in player attributes. Additionally, the use of hypersoft set theory enriches the analysis by capturing the multifaceted nature of player evaluations. The proposed aggregation operators refine the synthesis of diverse information sources, leading to a comprehensive and nuanced assessment. This research significantly enhances player evaluation methodologies, providing a more adaptable framework for a fair assessment of international football talent. A practical example illustrates the application of dual-possibility Pythagorean fuzzy hypersoft sets (DP-PFHSS). A numerical technique is proposed for solving multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) challenges with known dual possibility information using the proposed aggregation operators. This decision-making algorithm effectively determines a football player's worth, contributing to the overall ranking and evaluation process. The approach aids in scouting and recruitment by facilitating talent identification and informed player signings. Graphical analysis, comparing existing and proposed methods using average and geometric operators, demonstrates the superiority of the proposed approach in the players evaluation, indicating that F1 is in the top ranking.

Principal Component Approach and Relationship between Nomination Scale for Identification of Football Talent and Physical Fitness in Young Soccer Players

The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between the physical capabilities of young soccer players and their performance in game-related variables as assessed through the Nomination Scale for Identifying Football Talent (NSIFT) questionnaire. A total of 80 young soccer players, with an average age of 10.70 ± 1.02 years, participated in the research. Each player underwent a comprehensive assessment session that included the 5-0-5 Change of Direction (COD) test, the Illinois Agility Test, and the Countermovement Jump (CMJ) test. These assessments were selected to evaluate critical physical attributes essential for soccer performance such as agility, explosive strength, and the ability to change direction rapidly. To analyze the data, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), a statistical technique that reduces the dimensionality of large datasets while retaining as much variance as possible, was employed. The PCA results indicated strong sample validity as confirmed by the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) measurement index, which assesses the adequacy of the sample size for factor analysis. The analysis revealed two principal components: development and disposition, which together accounted for 73% of the total variance in the data. The development component encompasses various physical attributes that contribute to a player’s growth and improvement, including strength, speed, and agility. Conversely, the disposition component reflects innate qualities and cognitive skills that predispose players to excel in soccer such as decision making and game awareness. This research highlights the importance of incorporating physical assessments into talent identification processes, providing objective measures that complement subjective evaluations. This study contributed to the literature on talent identification in soccer, emphasizing the need for a multidisciplinary approach to nurture young athletes effectively. Future research should continue to explore the interplay between physical and cognitive skills in soccer to enhance player development and success in competitive environments.

Nurturing Football Talent: A Conceptual Framework for Talent Development Environment

ABSTRACT The environment is believed to play a crucial role in developing sport talents. Over the past two decades, a great deal of research has been carried out on sport talent development environment (TDE). However, few theoretical frameworks are dedicated to helping understand the TDE in a particular sport. Seeking a better understanding of the TDE in football, also known as “soccer” in North America, this study proposes a novel environmental framework that takes particular account of the situational characteristics of football, using a conceptual framework analysis. The framework is organized hierarchically with two main factors: sport and non-sport domains. The sport factor is further divided into four sub-factors: football coach, interaction with teammates, football training, and football competition. Academic and family support are identified as two sub-factors of the non-sport factor. This two-domain and six-factor TDE framework can help improve the understanding of the application of the TDE factors in the football context and thus optimize the football talent development practice.

Mental health of young talented football players in an African context: A cross-sectional observational study

BackgroundElite sport is a potentially pathogenic environment due to stressors like dual-career, high training demands, and performance pressure. Recent evidence suggests that athletes are at high risk of mental health issues. Even though the FIFA is increasingly paying attention, efforts directed towards young talented footballers are scarce. Few studies have even been conducted on young talented footballers in Africa. The majority of epidemiological studies on athletes also suffer from an analytical approach that does not highlight athletes' mental health profiles. This study aims to describe the mental health profile and their prevalence of young talented footballers in three African representative countries. MethodsThe study applied an observational-based cross-sectional research design with aspiring footballers from three sub-regions of Africa and aged between 10 and 23. The data was collected face-to-face from March to November 2022. Three screening tools were used to measure three mental health outcomes: Satisfaction With Life Scale (subjective well-being), Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item (depression), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (anxiety). The mental health outcomes were rates and scores of well-being, depression, and anxiety, used in latent profile analysis. Findings507 male young talented footballers (263[51∙9%] Cameroonians, 73[14∙4%] Moroccans, and 171[33∙7%] Ivorians) were included in the analysis with a mean age of 15∙1 (SD 2∙37) years. Screening of mental health states revealed that 367(72∙3%) and 412(81∙8%) of these players experienced anxiety and depressive symptoms respectively and 155(30∙7%) experienced low well-being. Differences in mental health outcomes were noted between countries, age groups and competition levels. Three profiles of mental health condition were also identified, namely moderate mental health (Profile 1), languishing (Profile 2) and flourishing (Profile 3). InterpretationThe youth of football academies in the three African countries studied have a specific mental health profile, revealing a high prevalence of common mental disorders in the African context. These findings underline the need to enhance the awareness of mental health issues in young African players and provide tailored support. FundingFIFA.

Exploring the existence, strength, and independence of relative age and maturation selection biases: a case study in Gaelic football talent development programmes

Background Biological maturity and relative age player selection biases are well documented in youth sports. However, there has been limited examination of the relationship between these biases. Aim This study investigated the presence, strength, and independence of relative age and biological maturity selection biases in Gaelic football. Subjects and methods A total of 247 male players from U14 to U16, from two talent academies were assessed for relative age (decimal age (DA)) and biological maturity (discrepancy between biological and chronological age (BA-CA)). Results Relative age effects (RAE) were observed in the U14 (DA = 0.62, d = 0.40) and U15 squads (DA = 0.57. d = 0.26) only. A bias towards advanced maturity status was present at U14 (BA-CA = 0.60, d = 0.83), U15 (BA-CA = 0.78, d = 0.89), and U16 (BA-CA, d = 1.01). There was a trivial (U14, r(83) = −0.210; U15, r(88) = 0.060) and low (U16, r(76) = 0.352) correlation between relative age and maturity status. Conclusion Substantial maturity selection biases and, to a lesser degree, relative age biases are evident in youth Gaelic football. Critically, these biases are independent constructs. Coaches and policy makers should be educated on the distinct influences of relative age and maturation, and on strategies to address these biases.

Content Marketing Strategy in Increasing Footabll School Students Interaction through Social Media

Football School (SSB) is a place for students to learn and develop their football talents. In this digital era, social media has become an effective platform to reach and attract the interest of new and existing students to join SSB. The aim of this research is to analyze effective content marketing strategies in increasing SSB student interaction on social media. This research uses a qualitative research method with a case study approach. Data collection techniques in this research are observation, interviews and document analysis. The data that has been collected is then analyzed in three stages, namely data reduction, data presentation and drawing conclusions. The research results show that an effective content marketing strategy can increase SSB student interaction on social media. This can help SSB to attract new students and increase the loyalty of old students. SSB needs to create interesting, informative and interactive content to encourage students to engage and participate in SSB activities.

The effect of exercises similar to playing in developing some complex offensive skills for talented football players under 12 years old

أن التمرينات المشابهة للعب المتنوعة والمختلفة لما يحدث فعلا في المباريات التنافسية لكرة القدم تعمل على تطوير وصقل المواهب للاعبي كرة القدم الموهبين تحت 12 سنة ومن الاعمار الصغيرة ومنذ بداية العمر التدريبي للاعب للوصول الى المستويات العليا, وان مستوى الأداء الجيد للاعب تعكسه مجموعة من المهارات الاساسية والقدرات التي يمتلكها من موهبة وابداع في اداء المهارات الهجومية المركبة ومنها الاستلام والمناولة , الدحرجة بين الشواخص والتهديف حيث ان كرة القدم لايمكن ممارستها واداء مهاراتها بشكل منفرد ولابد من اداء المهارات بشكل مركب داخل ظروف المنافسة, وحدد الباحثان اهدافهم ان تكون اعداد تمرينات مشابهة للعب متنوعة وحديثة بكرة القدم و التعرف على تأثير هذه التمرينات المشابهة للعب في تطوير اداء المهارات المركبة , إذ استخدم الباحثان المنهج التجريبي على عينة مكون من (15) لاعب , وتم البدء بتنفيذ التمرينات التوافقية المشابهة للعب في القسم الرئيسي فقط بواقع (24) وحدة تدريبية و ظهرت لنا نتائج البحث التي تم عرضها وتحليلها للاختبارات القبلية والبعدية لمجموعة البحث ظهرت هناك فروق معنوية في تطور (الاستلام والمناولة , الدحرجة بين الشواخص والتهديف) لمجموعة البحث , ومن الاستنتاجات التي توصل أليها الباحثان تبين أن للتمرينات المشابهة للعب أثر في فاعلية أداء المهارات الهجومية المركبة وتطويرها لأستخدامها داخل ظروف المنافسة , ويدعم البحث هدف الصحة الرفاه من اهداف التنمية المستدامة .

Never Too Much-More talent in football (always) leads to more success.

Though it may appear counterintuitive, certain positive attributes can eventually have negative consequences when taken to an extreme. This concept is exemplified in sports, where an increase in talent among team members initially leads to improved success, but beyond a certain threshold, excessive talent can adversely affect the team. This occurrence is known as the Too Much Talent (TMT) effect, wherein status conflicts among highly skilled players can hinder team performance, particularly in sports that require coordination and cooperation. While early evidence supported the TMT effect in team sports, its validity has recently been challenged. In this study, we analyzed a comprehensive dataset consisting of 780 data points across 42 seasons from seven top European football (soccer) leagues to examine the TMT effect's presence. Our findings reveal that football does not exhibit the TMT effect. Instead, we observed a consistent, positive correlation between the number of skilled players on a team and team success. Additionally, talent did not display diminishing returns, as its impact on success remained stable even at the highest concentrations of talent. We relate our results to existing theories and propose that future research comparing more individualistic and interdependent team sports could further enhance the field.

Research on the Mission and Path of The High Quality Development of Chinese Youth Football

Promoting the High quality development of youth football in China is an inevitable requirement to improve the level of football competition in China, and it is also the fundamental demand to solve the problems in the development of youth football in China. The mission of the High quality development of China's youth football is to cultivate football talents with excellent football skills and comprehensive quality, and improve the competitive level of the national team. The elements of the High quality development of youth football in China include a professional coach and training system, a scientific and reasonable competition system and selection mechanism, and good infrastructure and venue conditions. The path of High quality development of China's youth football is mainly proposed from the following six aspects: strengthening government support and policy promotion at all levels; strengthening the construction of football infrastructure and creating good field conditions; strengthen the construction of youth football education and training system; Establish a sound youth training system and competition system; strengthen the cooperation and connection between school football and club football; Strengthen cooperation and exchanges with international football organizations.

Promoting mental wellbeing among youth Australian Rules footballers through a model of continuous improvement.

The developmental period of adolescence is a known transitional life phase with unique risk and protective factors that can affect mental wellbeing outcomes. This, in combination with the pressures and demand of elite sport, make young elite athletes an important population in which positive mental wellbeing can be explored. This study aimed to examine the state of wellbeing, informed by positive psychology and the Positive emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Accomplishment (PERMA) model of wellbeing, in a cohort of young athletes aged 16-19 years in the Australian setting as part of a model of continuous improvement. The objectives of these aims were to inform the development of a wellbeing curriculum for implementation in the Australian Rules Football talent pathway and to assess whether wellbeing presents differently in young athletes relative to the general school-attending population of that same age. Participants were 608 young Australian footballers participating in the developmental talent pathway during 2020 and 2021. There were 299 young male footballers, and 309 young women footballers who completed data collection. Wellbeing was assessed using the Engagement, Perseverance, Optimism, Connectedness, Happiness Measure of Adolescent Wellbeing (EPOCH) which corresponds to the PERMA model of wellbeing, and total mean scores were reported. Engagement and connectedness were similar for the young men and women athletes. Young men reported higher perseverance, optimism, happiness, and overall wellbeing relative to young women. Wellbeing among young athletes appears similar to the general population, however perseverance may be higher among young athletes. These findings form an important component of the continuous improvement model adopted in the football program in that the results informed the development of a tailored wellbeing curriculum program that is reflective of the wellbeing needs of the young athletes.

Same, same but different? – A comparative discourse-theoretical content analysis of the constructions of football talent in German and Swedish newspapers

Although people may make sense of concepts like ‘talent’ and get influenced through discourses reinforced in the media, not much research has investigated the construction of ‘talent’ in the media or in relation to football, yet. By applying Laclau and Mouffe’s discourse-theoretical analysis and aspects of quantitative content analysis to forty-four news articles, this study compares how German and Swedish media construct and reinforce discourses of ‘talent’ in football. The findings suggest that cross-cultural media share common reference points in shaping discourses on ‘football talent’. However, these nodal points are allocated and formed in distinct ways within each country, thus constituting floating signifiers. The study unveils that ‘talent’ constitutes an empty concept within and across specific cultural settings. Nonetheless, the conceptual notions surrounding talent seems more uniform in Swedish media compared to Germany. Moreover, gender disparities in the context of ‘football talent’ discourses predominantly link talent with male football players.

Performance Evaluation Factors Reflecting Player and Casting Judgments of Football Coaches

PURPOSE This study aimed to extract football coaches’ categories of performance evaluation factors (PEF) and examine the reflective characteristics of the football coaches’ player and casting judgments.METHODS PEF were extracted through an open-ended questionnaire and categorization from 80 AFC C or higher football coaches. Reflection was calculated in player and casting judgments through an analytic hierarchy process. The difference between the football coaches’ player and casting judgments was examined using SPSS 21.0.RESULTS First, the PEF of football coaches were categorized into four general categories: physical intelligence, psychological intelligence, growth potential, and competition intelligence. Second, the importance of football coaches’ player judgments were reflected by the PEF as football intelligence, situation judgment, football talent, tactical understanding, tactical operation, etc. The importance of the casting judgment were reflected by the PEF as tactical understanding, mediative skills, fitness, tactical operation, situation judgment, etc. Third, a statistically significant difference was noted between player and casting judgments. Football coaches tended to value growth potential and talent as sub-factors in the player evaluations. Football coaches’ PEF were aligned with the importance of player and casting judgments in psychological and competition intelligence as sub-factors such as skills, physical, attitude, passion, etc., but differed from physical intelligence and growth potential as sub-factors including mediative skills, physical, football talent, and tactical understanding.CONCLUSIONS In the football coaches’ player evaluations, the idealistic principle centered on growth potential. However, in the casting evaluation, the realistic principle centered on victory takes effect .

THE ROLE OF COACHES AND PARENTS IN YOUTH FOOTBALL TRAINING

ABSTRACT. Our topic is the investigation of the influence of parents and coaches of youth soccer children on the children's sports performance, what is the role of coaches in teams of different youth age groups (according to the physiological effects of children), the relationship between coaches and parents, the relationship between coaches and players, the control and development of the most talented players. With our chosen topic, we set myself the goal of examining whether the support and help of parents or coaches has a greater effect on the child's sports performance. We chose this topic because we would like to help during the coaching career in the future, and we also consider it important to develop the skills of young Hungarian football talents, in which parents and coaches have an important and outstanding role. In our article, we would like to reveal what are the outstanding factors that most influence a player's performance on the field, and to what extent coaches and parents contribute to this. We think that it is important for both sides to see their role in the development of football talent. We would also like to examine to what extent parents contribute to the advancement of their child's soccer career, whether they recognize the factors in which they should help their child progress in soccer. After all, in our opinion, without parental support, it will be more difficult for the player to progress, who will also be more balanced emotionally, which also has a significant impact on his sports performance, if the parent monitors and encourages him during his football career. Do soccer coaches consider their relationship with their students important? What is the role of football coaches in the different youth age groups, what is the focus? To what extent does the role and education of parents influence their children's performance, football coaches, how can they cooperate with parents and players? How can football coaches keep under control and develop the most talented child?

Selection for the club and national teams of Germany in four-year cycles of preparation for competitions

Discussions about the need for the development of youth and mass football in Ukraine for a long time have remained only conversational creativity. Attempts to do half-measures do not bring any positive results. At the same time, the long-term experience of other developed countries in the field of football shows that even full-fledged measures do not always immediately give the desired result. Only an exceptionally thought-out systematic approach over a long period of time is capable of ensuring the development and effectiveness of a multidisciplinary concept, methodology or program.
 The experience of such developed countries in terms of football as Germany has proven, and the football managers of England, Belgium, Spain, Netherlands, France and many other leading football countries agree with them, that the bet on youth is a win-win, and in this case, universal profit is guaranteed can be considerable.
 In the long term, the Ukrainian Football Association could consider studying the German experience, both at the club and national level. For Ukrainian football clubs, the traditional management system with the rule "50% shares + 1 share" seems very appropriate. Such a model would not only develop the concept of developing young football talents, but also contribute to the de- oligarchization of Ukrainian football.

Formation of Football Talents in the Education System of Germany

The purpose of this study is to examine the key aspects of the talent development process in youth football within the educational system of Germany. Germany is renowned for its high educational standards and remarkable achievements of its athletes on the international stage. In order to accomplish this objective, a comprehensive set of interconnected methods, including analysis, synthesis, and generalization of scientific information pertaining to the specific issue, as well as educational and methodological literature and internet sources, were employed. The study reveals that a successful football career is the outcome of the interaction between two pedagogical systems: one that reflects an individual's educational endeavors and the other which relates to their sporting accomplishments. The step-by-step construction of the educational and sports systems, their common orientation, which enables constant multifaceted control and support of each young talent, optimally coordinates all areas of his life, promotes further harmonious development. It has been proven that the German model provides comprehensive support of the chosen professional path, the opportunity to study in the institutions that correspond to the preferences, aspirations and abilities of the individual. Keywords: Education system, sports training, football, young talents

‘I get used to it, I train through it, even though there are some days you cry through it’: Coping behaviours and adaptation of two West African footballers in Germany

Elite African players are a major group in the growing international football talent market, especially in Europe. Through qualitative interviews, this study examined the coping strategies and adaption practices of two West African athletes in the process of transition into German football and society. Examining the players’ narrative through the interpretive biography approach, the findings highlighted subjective adaptive and coping practices, as well as the role of the structures of talent development systems. The strategies included both problem-focussed and emotion-focussed strategies, namely training in a European-modelled football system, culture learning, multilocal belonging, rationalisation and acceptance of circumstance, reconstitution of self-identity, and social support. The key contributions demonstrate the impact of West African football academies on the experience of transnational migration, and the ways a transnational African athlete may redefine his conception of self to make sense of his experiences.

Study on the Present Situation and Countermeasure of Campus Football Development in Yunnan Border Area

Campus football is the focus of the development of Chinese football, football in China is very strong appeal. On the basis of the good development of campus football, we will bring football to more students, actively cultivate their football skills and tactics, and cultivate high-quality football talents for the country and the society. This study mainly adopts the methods of literature, interview and questionnaire. Investigated the development of campus football in Yunnan border areas, including interviews with coaches, students, administrators and parents, studied the status of campus football activities, analyzed the questionnaire survey, and put forward constructive suggestions and opinions on the existing problems, so that campus football can be actively integrated into junior high schools in Weixi County. The goal is to help the development of campus football in the border area.

Thoughts and Targeted Initiatives for the Nurturing of Youth Football Reserve Talents in China

In order to strengthen the foundation for the cultivation of Chinese youth football reserve talents, a systematic review of the current ideas on the development of Chinese youth football reserve talents is conducted, and based on this, a targeted response is derived from it. The study concludes that the cultivation of Chinese youth football reserve talents should be based on the country and the world in a hierarchical and directional manner, with emphasis on the integration of the excellent Chinese traditional culture at the primary school level and the absorption of outstanding foreign achievements and experience at the secondary school level, and the promotion of three types of policy tools, namely the supply side, the demand side and the environment side, to form a protective synergy for the cultivation of youth football reserve talents, so as to build an effective and long-term development strategy that will benefit the present and the future. The aim is to speed up the construction of a reserve pool of Chinese youth football talents, improve the international competitiveness and influence of Chinese football, and contribute to the early realisation of the Chinese football dream.

An Analysis of the Training Mode of Sports and Education Integration for Youth Football Reserve Talents <br/>—A Case Study of Ya’an City

The Ministry of Education and the General Administration of Sport jointly issued an opinion on the deep integration of sports education to explore the current situation of the cultivation of football reserve talents in Ya’an under the background of the national youth football development. As a weak area in the cultivation of football reserve talents in Sichuan province, you can become a test base for the research on the cultivation of football reserve talents in the integration of sports education in western China. This paper uses the method of literature, questionnaire, field investigation, interview and mathematical statistics to study the current situation of football reserve talent cultivation in Ya’an City. Combined with in-depth interviews with Ya’an football Association, sports school, many leaders and football experts within the industry, the paper referred to the experience of reserve football talents training in developed countries and training youth football talents in developed areas in our country. At the same time, according to the policy plan for the integration of sports and education, we closely follow the sustainable development of competitive sports and integrate and complement the advantages of universities, schools, football associations, sports schools and clubs. Intending to cultivate compound talents of football majors, this paper preliminarily envisages the training mode of combining sports and education for the youth football reserve talents in Ya’an city, draws some conclusions and puts forward the corresponding countermeasures.