Background: Football performance depends on the integration of physical, technical, and cognitive abilities under constantly changing conditions. In this context, dual-task training combining physical and cognitive demands has emerged as a promising approach to enhance decision-making and game intelligence in youth football players. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of an eight-week dual-task training programme on physical (speed, strength, and agility), cognitive (working memory, planning, processing speed, and response time), technical (dribbling and short passing), and dual-task performance in U16 football players. Methods: Thirty-two players (age: 14.88 ± 0.65 years; BMI: 20.98 ± 1.79 kg/m²) were randomly assigned to a control group (n = 14) and an experimental group (n = 18). The experimental group completed a dual cognitive–motor training (CMT) programme consisting of 24 sessions (3 sessions/week, 10–15 min each), integrated into regular football practice. Pre-intervention and post-intervention assessments included football skills (dribbling and passing tests), cognitive tests (Wom-Rest and Vismem-Plan), physical tests (countermovement jump, 20 m sprint, and 505 change-of-direction), and a dual-task test (soccer skills and cognitive aptitude test). Results: The experimental group showed significant improvements in all assessed variables, while the control group exhibited no changes or declines in performance. The most notable effects were observed in SoSCAT with visual interference, dual-task cost, and 505 change-of-direction. Conclusions: The findings suggest that integrating brief dual CMT programmes into regular football practice can simultaneously enhance physical, technical, and cognitive performance in youth players. This evidence supports the implementation of dual CMT as an effective and time-efficient tool in talent development programmes.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of a holistic test (Soccer Skills and Cognitive Aptitude Test [SoSCAT]) that assesses soccer skills and performance in a dual-task (DT) context. A total of 73 male soccer players aged 12–18 years joined in this study. They were playing in three official Spanish regional leagues, and were divided according to their age into under 14 (U14, n = 25), under 16 (U16, n = 26), and under 18 (U18, n = 22). Additionally, players were categorized dichotomously into high-talented (n = 20) and lower-talented (n = 53) groups. Several soccer-skill and cognitive tests were evaluated. Regarding absolute reliability, the standard error of measurement (SEM) was 2.27 (5.30%) and the minimal detectable change (MDC) was 4.17 (9.75%). In relative reliability, the intra-class correlation coefficient was 0.908 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.826–0.951, p < 0.001). By category, the U18 group showed a higher performance in SoSCAT (p < 0.001) than U16 and U14. In addition, the DT cost (DTC) and ΔTime were the lowest in the U18 group (p = 0.041). Moreover, the high-talent group showed the best performance in SoSCAT (p = 0.001), DTC (p < 0.001), and in ΔTime (p < 0.001). To sum, the SoSCAT is a reliable tool for use under the DT context and it discriminates between levels of players and determines several variables that are relevant to soccer performance and that could help to early identify soccer talent.

This study aimed to examine the effects of physical fatigue on cognitive–motor performance in youth football players from different competitive categories using an ecologically valid dual-task test. A total of 45 male youth development football players: 14 from the under-14 category (12.36 ± 0.50 years), 16 from under-16 (15.25 ± 0.45 years), and 15 from under-18 (16.87 ± 0.64 years) joined in this study. Technical–tactical performance was assessed before and after fatigue using the Stroop Task Football Test, with the Repeated Sprint Ability protocol applied between assessments. Physical fatigue negatively affected cognitive–motor performance, particularly in the under-14 and under-16 groups. These categories showed significant increases in execution time (U14: 72.80 ± 5.56 vs. 81.35 ± 6.85 s; U16: 57.67 ± 3.79 vs. 60.76 ± 4.59 s) and reductions in the total index (U14: 51.35 ± 4.64 vs. 45.71 ± 4.61; U16: 63.97 ± 4.22 vs. 59.74 ± 5.53). In contrast, the under-18 group maintained stable performance. To sum, younger players appear more susceptible to performance declines under fatigue conditions, whereas under-18 players did not exhibit significant impairments. These findings highlight the importance of adapting training loads and recovery strategies according to developmental stage.

Motor–cognitive dual-task paradigms (DTPs) reflect the interaction between cognitive and motor demands during match play. However, evidence in youth football remains fragmented. This systematic review synthesizes research on DTP in competitive youth football, focusing on assessment tools, acute performance effects, and training interventions. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus from inception to October 2025 following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Thirteen studies were included. Results indicate that motor–cognitive dual-task tests show good validity and reliability, effectively discriminating between competitive levels and talent status. Acutely, dual-task conditions consistently lead to immediate performance decrements; notably, secondary motor tasks induce significantly greater physical and tactical costs than cognitive tasks. Longitudinal studies demonstrate that dual-task training results in superior improvements in physical, technical, and tactical performance compared with conventional training, likely due to enhanced attentional efficiency. In conclusion, DTP provides a valid and ecologically relevant framework for holistic performance evaluation and development in youth football.

In soccer, muscle injuries represent 38%. The hamstring musculature (HSM) was the most frequently injured muscle group, accounting for 39.5% of all muscle injuries and 16.3% of all injuries. Eccentric training of the hamstrings has been shown to increase the length of the fascicles of the long head of the biceps femoris (BFlh), that is, this training decreases the risk of injury, but may lead to the development of muscle soreness. Although, a training program with isometric exercises is less likely to cause muscle soreness. Therefore, the aim of the present pilot study was to analyze the effects of an isometric exercise training program (10 weeks) on HSM injury risk factors in amateur soccer players. Participants (n=18) were randomly assigned to a control (n=9) and experimental (n=9) group. Symptoms and injury risk in HSM (Hamstring Outcome Score), power (vertical jump) and strength (single leg bridge test) of HSM were evaluated. The analyses showed that in the experimental group there were improvements in all variables, but only the improvements in right HSM strength (p=0.003, d=0.679) and total HSM strength (p=0.038, d=0.52) were significant. It can be concluded that a training program with isometric exercises before the technical-tactical session could reduce the risk of injury in HSM, although these results should be taken with caution and future studies with a larger sample are recommended. En el fútbol las lesiones musculares representan el 38%. La musculatura isquiosural (HSM) fue el grupo muscular más frecuentemente lesionado, representando el 39.5% de todas las lesiones musculares y el 16.3% de todas las lesiones. Se ha demostrado que el entrenamiento excéntrico de los isquiosurales aumenta la longitud de los fascículos de la cabeza larga del bíceps femoral (BFlh), es decir, este entrenamiento disminuye el riesgo de lesión, pero puede conducir a la aparición de dolor muscular. Aunque, es menos probable que un programa de entrenamiento con ejercicios isométricos provoque dolor muscular. Por ello, el objetivo del presente estudio piloto fue analizar los efectos de un programa de entrenamiento con ejercicios isométricos (10 semanas) sobre factores de riesgo de lesión en la HSM en jugadores de fútbol amateurs. Los participantes (n=18) fueron asignados aleatoriamente a un grupo control (n=9) y experimental (n=9). Se evaluaron los síntomas y riesgo de lesión en HSM (Hamstring Outcome Score), potencia (salto vertical) y fuerza (single leg bridge test) de HSM. Los análisis mostraron que en el grupo experimental hubo mejorías en todas las variables, pero solo resultaron significativas las mejorías en fuerza de HSM derechos (p=0.003, d=0.679), y total (p=0.038, d=0.52). Se puede concluir que un programa de entrenamiento con ejercicios isométricos antes de la sesión técnico-táctica podría reducir el riesgo de lesión en HSM, aunque estos resultados deben ser tomados con precaución y se recomienda la realización de futuros estudios con una muestra mayor.

Background: Football performance emerges from the interaction of technical, physical, and perceptual-cognitive abilities, yet talent identification protocols often assess these components separately. This study examined whether football-specific dual-task (DT) performance, assessed using the Soccer Skills and Cognitive Aptitude Test (SoSCAT), could discriminate between coach-rated talent levels in youth football players. Methods: A total of 181 male football players aged 12–18 years participated in this cross-sectional study and were classified into U14 (n = 70), U16 (n = 63), and U18 (n = 48) categories. Based on coaches’ evaluations, players were also classified as more talented (n = 46) or less talented (n = 135). Participants completed football-specific technical, physical, cognitive, and DT assessments. Results: Coach-rated talented players demonstrated superior football-specific DT performance, with faster completion times under DT conditions (partial η² = 0.190), a smaller increase in completion time (ΔTime; partial η² = 0.095), lower DTC (r_rβ = −0.351), and fewer decision errors (r_rβ = −0.211). Older players showed better absolute DT performance and fewer decision errors, although ΔTime and DTC did not differ between age categories. Age, coach-rated talent status, league goals, and football-specific technical performance remained independently associated with SoSCAT DT performance (adjusted R² = 0.500). ROC analysis showed good discriminative ability for SoSCAT DT performance (AUC = 0.822). Conclusions: Football-specific DT performance demonstrated good discriminative ability between coach-rated talent levels. The SoSCAT may represent a valuable complementary tool for multidimensional player assessment by integrating football-specific technical execution and perceptual-cognitive demands. However, its interpretation should consider the cross-sectional design, absence of biological maturation assessment, and reliance on coach-rated talent classification.