SynthesisFrontiers in psychology2025
A scoping review of empirical research on executive functions and game intelligence in soccer.
Synthesis in Frontiers in psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed.
- Touch Restriction Versus Free-Play Small-Sided Games in Soccer: Acute Effects on Serum BDNF, Executive Function, and Technical Actions.European journal of sport science · 2026Trial
- Thinking While Playing: Football-Specific Dual-Task Performance and Coach-Rated Talent in Youth Football.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Artificial Intelligence and Psychophysiological Monitoring for Integrated Performance Modeling in Elite Soccer: A Scoping Review of Applications, Evidence Gaps, and Translational Challenges.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Influence of stimulus material and effector specificity on performance in the measurement of interference control in adolescent handball and soccer players compared to non-player controls.Psychological research · 2026Article
- Cognitive-Motor Dual-Task Training (CMDT) Approaches for Performance, Recovery, Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Return to Sport in Soccer: A Narrative Review with Practical Recommendations for Soccer Clubs.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2026Review
- Analysis of Motor and Perceptual-Cognitive Performance in Young Soccer Players: Insights into Training Experience and Biological Maturation.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Differences in cognitive shifts and prefrontal activation among athletes with different motor skills: an fNIRS study.Frontiers in human neuroscience · 2026Article
- The Relationship Between Neurocognitive Function and Concussion in Women Professional Football Players: A Cross-Sectional Study.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Influence of selected cognitive performances on musculoskeletal injury occurrence in adult male professional Slovenian PrvaLiga football players in a prospective cohort study.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- No differences in executive functions between female and male young talented football players.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
- Cognitive Motor Dual Tasking as a game-changer in basketball training programs: a new approach to developing elite basketball players.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Introduction: Executive functions (EFs)-including working memory, cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, and planning-are essential for adaptive decision-making in dynamic environments like elite soccer. This scoping review explores the relationship between EFs and game intelligence in adult elite soccer players. Methods: A systematic search was conducted across six major databases: Scopus, Web of Science, SportDiscus, PubMed, PsycInfo, and ERIC. Fifteen peer-reviewed empirical studies published between 2000 and 2023 were identified and analyzed for inclusion. Results: The review reveals a strong association between EFs and players' ability to process complex game situations, anticipate opponents' actions, and make strategic decisions under pressure. Evidence also points to possible variations in EF demands across playing positions. Additionally, several studies suggest that EFs may be trainable through perceptual-cognitive interventions, although this area remains underexplored. Discussion: Despite promising findings, the studies exhibit substantial methodological heterogeneity, particularly in the operationalization of both EFs and game intelligence. This variability limits the comparability and generalizability of results. The review underscores the need for more standardized methodologies, longitudinal research designs, and integrative approaches that account for both cognitive and personality factors to better understand elite soccer performance.
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