ArticleJournal of functional morphology and kinesiology2025
Influence of Age and Body Size on the Dribbling Performance of Young Elite Soccer Players: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study.
Article in Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Anthropometric Characteristics, Neuromuscular Performance and Cardiorespiratory Fitness of Chilean Youth Soccer Players: A Cross-Sectional Study.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2026Article
- Applied performance ecology: testing strategies of talent identification in sports using ecological systems.The Journal of experimental biology · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND/
objectivesDribbling is a fundamental skill in soccer, but assessing the performance of youth players in this skill is complicated by the confounded effects of age and physical development. In this study, our aim was to quantify the interactive effects of age, height, and mass on the dribbling performance of 180 players between 10 and 21 years old from an elite Brazilian junior academy.
methodsFor each player, we quantified their dribbling and sprinting speed along four different paths with varying curvature, and their ability to perform specific, directed dribbling drills using one or both feet. To characterise patterns of variation among player's age, height, and mass-and to control for their confounding effects-we used a principal component analysis (PCA) to create a multivariate index of age and size (ASI).
resultsDribbling, sprinting, and directed dribbling were all positively associated with ASI; however, age alone was a better predictor of performance than ASI. Using multi-model inference, we found that a player's overall dribbling was best predicted by models that included sprint speed and overall directed dribbling ability (
conclusionsThese results provide the first set of normative data for a detailed metric of dribbling performance and soccer-specific foot coordination that can allow players and coaches to compare and assess their performances relative to a single population of high-quality junior players.
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