Mikulič Martin, Cholp Jozef, Nagy Nikolas, Skala Filip
Department of Sports Games, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia.
Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia.
Front Sports Act Living. 2025 Jul 17;7:1630522. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2025.1630522. eCollection 2025.
Players in European soccer academies frequently advance from the lower to the higher age group. Underdevelopment of their strength and speed capacities increases the risk of injury. On the one hand, this study compared the isometric strength and speed performance of elite youth soccer players regarding age groups. Further, it aimed to recognize differences in relative isometric strength between the national team selected and non-selected academy players. Eighty-three academy players from five age groups of single academy were compared in isometric peak force production in a bilateral knee flexion test (ISO 30°), abduction and adduction tests (ABD and ADD 60°). Their sprinting speed was evaluated by 10 and 30 meter sprint tests, and the 505 change of direction test (COD 180°). Significant age group effects were discovered for absolute isometric strength ( = < 0.001; = 0.40-0.43) but relative strength differed only between U15 and U19 in ISO 30° ( = 0.04; ES = 1.04). The U14 players were slower than all groups (ES = 0.95-3.68) excluding the U15. These players were slower than U16, U17, and U19 (ES = 1.07-2.37), while U17 overpassed U19 in 180° COD ( = 0.02; ES = 0.22). Consequently, sprinting speed demands are of special interest in the transition of players from the U15 to the U16 age group. The national team players were not relatively stronger in ISO 30° (-0.08 /kg, = 0.70; ES = 0.10), ABD 60° (-0.14 /kg, = 0.59; ES = 0.13), and ADD 60° (-0.33 /kg, = 0.22; ES = 0.31) compared to their academy peers This suggests that maximal relative isometric strength is not of special interest for the selection of academy soccer players to the national team squad.
欧洲足球青训营的球员经常从低年龄组升入高年龄组。他们力量和速度能力发育不足会增加受伤风险。一方面，本研究比较了精英青年足球运动员不同年龄组的等长力量和速度表现。此外，研究旨在找出入选国家队的青训营球员与未入选球员在相对等长力量方面的差异。对来自单一青训营五个年龄组的83名青训营球员进行了双侧膝关节屈曲测试（ISO 30°）、外展和内收测试（ABD和ADD 60°）中的等长峰值力量测试。通过10米和30米短跑测试以及505°变向测试（COD 180°）评估他们的短跑速度。发现绝对等长力量存在显著年龄组效应（= <0.001；= 0.40 - 0.43），但相对力量仅在ISO 30°测试中U15和U19组之间存在差异（= 0.04；ES = 1.04）。U14球员比除U15外的所有组都慢（ES = 0.95 - 3.68）。这些球员比U16、U17和U19组慢（ES = 1.07 - 2.37），而U17在180°COD测试中超过了U19组（= 0.02；ES = 0.22）。因此，在球员从U15年龄组向U16年龄组过渡时，短跑速度要求特别值得关注。与青训营中的同龄人相比，入选国家队的球员在ISO 30°（-0.08 /kg，= 0.70；ES = 0.10）、ABD 60°（-0.14 /kg，= 0.59；ES = 0.13）和ADD 60°（-0.33 /kg，= 0.22；ES = 0.31）测试中的相对力量并不更强。这表明最大相对等长力量对于选拔青训营足球运动员进入国家队阵容并非特别重要。
