Is the dominant leg also the stronger leg in vertical and horizontal jump performance in young male soccer players?

Background: Unilateral actions are important in soccer and may create functional differences between the lower limbs. It is unclear whether the dominant leg, usually defined as the preferred kicking leg, corresponds to the stronger limb in unilateral jump tasks. This study aimed to examine the association between dominant leg preference and the strongest leg, and to compare jump performance between dominant and non-dominant legs across age groups in young male soccer players. Methods: One hundred and sixty-one male soccer players (16.13 ± 1.38 years) from the same soccer academy participated in this cross-sectional study. Players were classified into four age groups (U14, U16, U18, and U19). Unilateral performance was assessed using the single-leg countermovement jump (CMJ) and the single-leg horizontal jump (HJ). Leg dominance was identified based on the preferred limb for soccer-specific actions. Associations between dominant and strongest leg were analyzed using chi-square tests, and differences between dominant and non-dominant legs were examined using paired comparisons. Results: Significant associations between dominant leg and strongest leg were found only in isolated cases: for HJ performance in the U14 group ( Discussion: Dominant leg preference does not consistently reflect superior unilateral jump performance in youth soccer players. Isolated associations were observed in specific age groups (U14 horizontal jump, U18 vertical jump), but overall performance was similar between dominant and non-dominant legs. These findings emphasize the task-specific and individual nature of unilateral performance and suggest that leg dominance should not be assumed as an indicator of greater physical capacity.