The benefits of sport activity on cognition and especially on executive function development are well-known, and in recent years, several kinds of cognitive-motor training (CMT) have been proven effective in adults and older people. Less is known about possible CMT benefits in children. This study aims to confirm the positive influence played by CMTs on specific executive functions (planning abilities and visual search) in young soccer players. Twenty-four 10-year-old athletes were recruited and randomly assigned to the experimental (Exp) and control (Con) groups of 12 players. Both groups were trained for 10 weeks, twice a week (90 min per training), following standard soccer training (technical-tactical exercises). The Exp group, during the first training session of the week, in the last 22 min, performed the experimental treatment, which consisted of a psychokinetic CMT. Both groups were examined before and after the ten-week training using the Tower of London and WISC-IV cancellation tests. Results revealed that the Exp group, following treatment, reported significantly better scores than the Con group in all the cognitive measures. We concluded that the proposed CMT is more effective than motor training alone at improving planning abilities and visual search abilities, even in children.

Increasing evidence shows that virtual reality (VR) training is highly effective in cognitive and motor rehabilitation. Another modern form of training is cognitive–motor dual-task training (CMDT), which has been demonstrated to rapidly improve physical and cognitive functions in real environments. This study aims to test whether a VR-based CMDT protocol can be used for motor and cognitive skill enhancement in young, healthy subjects. For this aim, 24 university students participated in a randomized control trial. The experimental group participated in a 5-week virtual reality reaction training (VRRT), performing 30 min sessions once a week. The control group did not receive any training but was tested twice with the same measures and temporal distance as the experimental group. Before and after the intervention, motor, cognitive, and electrophysiological measures were assessed. The results showed that following VRRT, the response time for both physical and cognitive tests was improved by about 14% and 12%, respectively, while the control group did not show significant changes. Moreover, electrophysiological data revealed a significant increase in anticipatory motor readiness in premotor brain areas in the experimental group only; however, cognitive top–down control tended to be increased in prefrontal areas after VRRT. This training protocol in a VR modality seems to be as effective as other CMDT methodologies carried out in a real modality. Still, it has the advantages of being more flexible and more user-friendly compared to standard training. The VRRT’s efficacy on physical and cognitive functions indicates that virtual reality applications can be used by the young population, not only for entertainment purposes but also in the form of cognitive–motor training.