ArticleFrontiers in physiology2026
Acceleration and deceleration responses to different small-sided game formats in elite youth soccer players: a repeated-measures GPS study.
Article in Frontiers in physiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Purpose: This study investigated the effects of different small-sided game (SSG) formats and pitch sizes on GPS-derived acceleration and deceleration event counts as indicators of external movement demands in elite youth soccer players. Methods: Twenty male elite youth soccer players (age: 19 ± 1.24 years) performed 4v1 and 6v2 SSG formats across multiple pitch dimensions (4v1: 5×5, 6×6, 7×7, and 8×8 m; 6v2: 6×6, 7×7, 8×8, 9×9, and 10×10 m). Movement data were collected from players positioned in the middle using 10 Hz GPS devices (MinimaxX v4.0, Catapult Innovations, Melbourne, Australia). Acceleration and deceleration counts were analyzed according to game format, pitch size, and bout duration (15 s and 30 s) using repeated-measures ANOVA and Holm-adjusted Results: Significant main effects of game format were observed across all acceleration and deceleration event-count variables (p < 0.001), with large effect sizes (partial η² = 0.632-0.837). In common pitch dimensions (6×6-8×8 m), the 4v1 format consistently elicited higher event counts than the 6v2 format. For example, during the 30 s condition at 6×6 m, 4v1 produced higher acceleration Zone 1 event counts than 6v2 (mean difference = 1.80; p < 0.001; Cohen's dz = 2.24). Within the 4v1 format, the smallest pitch size (5×5 m) generated the highest acceleration and deceleration event counts, whereas in the 6v2 format the largest pitch size (10×10 m) elicited the greatest event counts. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the interaction between player configuration and spatial constraints substantially influences GPS-derived acceleration and deceleration event counts during SSGs. From a practical perspective, 4v1 SSGs performed in reduced spaces may provide an effective training stimulus for increasing acceleration and deceleration event counts. However, these outcomes should be interpreted as external movement-demand indicators and not as direct measures of quickness, agility, or perceptual-cognitive performance.
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