As previous literature updates, I have performed a PubCrawler search looking for football articles in NCBI Medline (PubMed) and GenBank databases.

Following studies were retrieved for this week:

1 The Impact of Soccer-specific Psychophysiological Stress on Inhibition and Cognitive Flexibility in Elite Youth Players

Reference: Psychol Sport Exerc. 2024 May 29:102682. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2024.102682. Online ahead of print.
Authors: S Knöbel, A Borchert, N Gatzmaga, F Heilmann, L Musculus, S Laborde, F Lautenbach
Summary: While researchers and practitioners attribute an essential role to executive functions (EFs) for soccer performance, the usefulness of respective diagnostics and the predictive value remain unclear. One limitation restricting the translation and relevance of study results to improve actual game performance is the insufficient consideration of competitive conditions. Thus, this study aimed to conduct soccer-specific cognitive diagnostics under a soccer-specific psychophysiological stress condition, mimicing the demands of a competitive game. A total of 92 (Mage = 15.17, SDage= 1.45) youth elite players performed tests for inhibition (flanker task) or cognitive flexibility (number-letter task) with a soccer-specific motor response (i.e., pass into goals). After a pre-test in a neutral condition, players were randomly assigned to a neutral (moderate soccer-specific exercise) or a stress condition (physical stress and competitive instructions and filming for psychological stress). Objective (i.e., cortisol, heart rate variability) and subjective stress-related measures (i.e., SAM, VAS) were assessed six times throughout experimental procedure. Analyses revealed significant interaction effects between time and condition for all objective and subjective variables indicating a successful experimental stress induction. For cognitive performance, results revealed significant main effects of time, but no significant interaction effects between time and condition. However, descriptive statistics suggested improved performance under stress, with decreased flanker effect and switch costs. Additionally, response time variability in the flanker task significantly decreased in the stress condition. These findings offer insights into individual stress perception and processing under game-related psychophysiological demands, expanding previous research on situational EF alterations that also hold relevance for applied practitioners.

2 A large-scale multivariate soccer athlete health, performance, and position monitoring dataset

Reference: Sci Data. 2024 May 30;11(1):553. doi: 10.1038/s41597-024-03386-x.
Authors: Cise Midoglu, Andreas Kjæreng Winther, Matthias Boeker, Susann Dahl Pettersen, Sigurd Pedersen, Nourhan Ragab, Tomas Kupka, Steven A Hicks, Morten Bredsgaard Randers, Ramesh Jain, Håvard J Dagenborg, Svein Arne Pettersen, Dag Johansen, Michael A Riegler, Pål Halvorsen
Summary: Data analysis for athletic performance optimization and injury prevention is of tremendous interest to sports teams and the scientific community. However, sports data are often sparse and hard to obtain due to legal restrictions, unwillingness to share, and lack of personnel resources to be assigned to the tedious process of data curation. These constraints make it difficult to develop automated systems for analysis, which require large datasets for learning. We therefore present SoccerMon, the largest soccer athlete dataset available today containing both subjective and objective metrics, collected from two different elite women’s soccer teams over two years. Our dataset contains 33,849 subjective reports and 10,075 objective reports, the latter including over six billion GPS position measurements. SoccerMon can not only play a valuable role in developing better analysis and prediction systems for soccer, but also inspire similar data collection activities in other domains which can benefit from subjective athlete reports, GPS position information, and/or time-series data in general.

3 Who are the best passing players in professional soccer? A machine learning approach for classifying passes with different levels of difficulty and discriminating the best passing players

Reference: PLoS One. 2024 May 30;19(5):e0304139. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304139. eCollection 2024.
Authors: Murilo Merlin, Allan Pinto, Felipe Arruda Moura, Ricardo da Silva Torres, Sergio Augusto Cunha
Download link: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0304139
Summary: The present study aimed to assess the use of technical-tactical variables and machine learning (ML) classifiers in the automatic classification of the passing difficulty (DP) level in soccer matches and to illustrate the use of the model with the best performance to distinguish the best passing players. We compared eight ML classifiers according to their accuracy performance in classifying passing events using 35 technical-tactical variables based on spatiotemporal data. The Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithm achieved a balanced accuracy of 0.70 ± 0.04%, considering a multi-class classification. Next, we illustrate the use of the best-performing classifier in the assessment of players. In our study, 2,522 pass actions were classified by the SVM algorithm as low (53.9%), medium (23.6%), and high difficulty passes (22.5%). Furthermore, we used successful rates in low-DP, medium-DP, and high-DP as inputs for principal component analysis (PCA). The first principal component (PC1) showed a higher correlation with high-DP (0.80), followed by medium-DP (0.73), and low-DP accuracy (0.24). The PC1 scores were used to rank the best passing players. This information can be a very rich performance indication by ranking the best passing players and teams and can be applied in offensive sequences analysis and talent identification.

4 Effects of a Psychological Intervention Program on Competitive Anxiety and Psychological Profile in Young Soccer Players

Reference: Percept Mot Skills. 2024 May 30:315125241256410. doi: 10.1177/00315125241256410. Online ahead of print.
Authors: José Antonio Domínguez González, Rafael Enrique Reigal Garrido, Verónica Morales Sánchez, Antonio Hernández Mendo
Summary: Our aim in the present study was to test the efficacy of a 13-week, 19-session psychological intervention program on young soccer players‘ competitive anxiety and their sport psychological profiles. Participants were 37 players in the under-15 age category, of which 18 players formed the experimental group (M age = 14.67 years, SD = .48) and 19 players formed the control group (Mage = 14.23 years, SD = .42); this was a quasi-experimental design without random assignment to groups. We had all participants complete the Psychological Inventory of Sport Performance (IPED), the Questionnaire of Psychological Characteristics of Sport Performance (CPRD), and the Competition State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2) before and after the intervention. Results indicated positive effects for the intervention group (but not the control group) on stress control and motivation dimensions of the CPRD, cognitive anxiety and self-confidence on the CSAI-2, and self-confidence and attentional control on the IPED. These results suggest that psychological training for athletes contributes to their improved psychological skills, providing them tools to better adapt to the competitive environment.

5 Effects of maturation on myotonometric parameters and their predictors of athletic performance in elite youth soccer players

Reference: Sci Rep. 2024 May 29;14(1):12287. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-63224-3.
Authors: Alberto García-Santamaría, Cristian Abelairas-Gómez, Samuel Carrera, Alexis Padrón-Cabo, Ezequiel Rey
Summary: The aim of the present study was to investigate the variations in individual muscle stiffness across different maturation stages (i.e., peak height velocity [PHV]) in elite youth soccer players and to explore the associations between lower limb muscle stiffness and performance in sprinting (10, 20, and 40 m sprint), maneuverability (9-3-6-3-9 m sprint test), and jumping (countermovement jump [CMJ]). A total of 131 elite youth soccer players aged 12-18 years, volunteered to participate in the study and were divided into pre-PHV (n = 21), mid-PHV (n = 33), and post-PHV (n = 80). Muscle stiffness of the rectus femoris (RF) and biceps femoris (BF) muscles was assessed using a MyotonPRO. Results showed that players in the pre-PHV stage had lower stiffness in the BF and RF muscles compared to mid-PHV (p < 0.001; effect size [ES] = moderate to large) and post-PHV players (p < 0.001; ES = moderate to large). It was also observed that the mid-PHV group had lower stiffness levels in their RF muscle compared to the post-PHV group (p < 0.001; ES = small). Significant correlations were found between BF and RF stiffness and sprint (p < 0.001) and maneuverability (p < 0.001) performance. RF stiffness showed a significant positive correlation with CMJ (p < 0.05), suggesting that greater lower body stiffness is beneficial for athletic performance in youth soccer players. The findings highlighting the importance of considering training methods that increase muscular stiffness, particularly in relation to the RF muscle, to optimize athletic performance.

6 Reliability of enhanced paper grip test for testing foot strength in volleyball and soccer players

Reference: Phys Ther Sport. 2024 May 25:67:155-160. doi: 10.1016/j.ptsp.2024.05.004. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Neža Skuk, Panagiotis E Chatzistergos, Žiga Kozinc
Download link: https://pdf.sciencedirectassets.com/272404/1-s2.0-S1466853X24X00036/1-s2.0-S1466853X24000555/main.pdf?X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEOX%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FwEaCXVzLWVhc3QtMSJHMEUCIQDfby6Yel4qMh56pkDxlcRJNUmwBHMj%2FY6cjYhsRvifsQIgQDBFy2bn92ft4ddZlRwSkozu9jqsK4vCA6aMGQgXfVUqsgUIbRAFGgwwNTkwMDM1NDY4NjUiDNX4EzzAcBPhPAAxRSqPBW%2BH1hMxQKuL8I%2BOo%2B3065t7%2FaKhzGq5TsIRWXuBdlIvLIi34DaXkmfOtjEc9ca0HaCzEA9xq%2FOC7o7Mo2mOCtSZ%2BHIq6PMPCWMhzZgxc0rEbGV3ro7qiIwXKMzpDaHo0w1Z6d%2BSdo6zYerVniRMWJCJqMDv%2Bv7PYtFADzhg85knhEnqZXEu4lyP0719vyCwbEgDE4KjrHRggB%2BEfFqMu8ih0hJJ2A6lvbKT7OY0MQDvtbSOWad567k%2Bo450jieMHQ7rLWDGPYarzg%2FNHxITmK44yfFuYNxY8HzUlIU0q8UIdWkXMBXuCXlHXaJqjuPyOJy4x62fn8%2FIx4N0kOBhwy8R3%2BFzUsrWaGMd4LbKqx%2B%2BIO9LA50PSkUG8B83eTaui9QkRh51Sj1gjN8neoQLqAkx6GX5rbFjQsaHwrqN3Z0EeDm1hvLK7bACoNDcyWsnsQ%2BXoqz1QaDwLZRsIHSl%2FQMLZ%2Fl32j00Rd%2FLH2jgMdNdjIwhT3dzfFbzYQ80vaFxqrt50PE2eIMOkXW8dsBTOGUr8qn5FfhGn1mNUa%2FY6ij7YlH2ckVWyI%2FJeoD3QZ2Lb9wZLfJj2N%2FHjjg7OLYHpo4HgTrud6tzWyv17GzyoaSNWBomTpKD5YKDTQSzDqMTG24bb%2Fp9ltG1YwQHW6N9CenK1%2BDWjDukQy8wleaT%2BQBcQvTZU7S8IKCvrpdT1YCglXdUUCUQDRWxJC7fC73C6li0UeNLW9U9hFHQ9WKa4zo%2FNqTpnx33fssyb8NEXOgfOsLLP%2FQelRUZRKmKuGteTrE5LE5P1cGhSLbU1KpT0wnYxgqmKZe2ZvK9iI4ozSH8hxMmxE1YWAvocWr1Uv6jskft3zU5wii%2FxgjFlx2%2F08cw%2FOXvsgY6sQFPef3GYoBvvPnP3sApigoCuYBbmhdPMRMPme3x2gN1jx0suB3I4Vvog%2FQugCBUpMQRhdoZ4W0HWlOtSw4GCeuZjRlN%2BgyXVP2stskNS%2BFK6ssz8nxRWmvhZt0%2BEKC67m5kax8YIuGXkdRefsKrcEuAz9nJIN8nKtazw1%2Bh%2Blyrf6jiRdobD9aoK2uDEpYbG6IQFTQw91yv5GgPCUxTLIMmVhl7TElj8yT20xdzbzW1XqA%3D&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20240602T043549Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=300&X-Amz-Credential=ASIAQ3PHCVTYYMUQLJUQ%2F20240602%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=ffa2be6389111785edb3d6ff6986d94db43515de44e47ef54bfc66c1f91d175d&hash=91cd410a64d86ee2fa34192e46bc00117d78682eae25d635cb4646230d1388c0&host=68042c943591013ac2b2430a89b270f6af2c76d8dfd086a07176afe7c76c2c61&pii=S1466853X24000555&tid=spdf-ace98ffa-003c-457f-927b-3cc2ad19d313&sid=d0ff1ac679e55846710b876085563e042e60gxrqa&type=client&tsoh=d3d3LnNjaWVuY2VkaXJlY3QuY29t&ua=0207565600540504500c&rr=88d4bd2be8043626&cc=de
Summary: The aim was to evaluate the reliability of the Enhanced Paper Grip Test (EPGT) for assessing foot strength in volleyball and soccer players. A convenience sample of 28 athletes (13 volleyball players and 15 soccer players) participated in the study. The main outcome measures were the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for intra-visit and inter-visit reliability, typical error, and coefficient of variation for the force (N) recorded in EPGT test. The EPGT demonstrated good to excellent relative reliability (ICC values ranged from 0.93 to 0.97) and acceptable absolute reliability (typical error = 5-8 % of the mean). Significant inter-limb asymmetries were observed in both volleyball (16.0 ± 10.2%) and soccer players (15.3 ± 9.8%). The EPGT is a reliable tool for assessing foot strength in volleyball and soccer players. Further research is required to explore the applicability of EPGT in different athletic and clinical contexts, and its potential role in athletic performance and injury prevention.

7 Extending the understanding of the impact of conscientiousness on individual soccer performance: examining the mediating role of mental toughness

Reference: Curr Issues Personal Psychol. 2023 Jun 1;12(2):140-151. doi: 10.5114/cipp/163181. eCollection 2024.
Authors: David Rodrigues, Nuno Rodrigues, Teresa Rebelo
Download link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11129044/pdf/CIPP-12-163181.pdf
Summary: Drawing upon Motowidlo et al.’s theory of individual differences in individual performance, the current study aims to contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between conscientiousness and individual soccer performance, by examining whether mental toughness, posited as a characteristic adaptation, acts as a psychological mechanism underlying this link. Relying upon a concurrent validity design, 130 soccer players completed a survey including the measures of conscientiousness and mental toughness. Participants were also instructed to provide a subjective assessment of their individual soccer performance, by self-rating their physical, technical and tactical performance levels. Their objective performance was also measured as the total amount of minutes each player participated in official games, during the first half-season. The findings showed that conscientiousness and mental toughness represent significant and meaningful predictors of both individual soccer performance measures gathered, i.e. individual soccer subjective and objective performance. As expected, further mediation analyses showed that the influence of conscientiousness on subjective performance is totally indirect, via mental toughness. Still, for the objective performance criterion, only the direct effect of conscientiousness was supported. These findings support the merits of conscientiousness as a valid predictor of human performance across achievement contexts, namely in sports settings and specifically in the domain of soccer. They also suggest that while this personality factor exerts a direct impact on individual soccer objective performance, it seems to play a more distal influence on subjective performance, by enacting individual mental toughness resources. Major theoretical and applied research implications are discussed.

8 Influence of Substitutions and Roles on Kinematic Variables in Professional Soccer Players

Reference: Int J Sports Med. 2024 May 28. doi: 10.1055/a-2334-6458. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Francesco Laterza, Cristian Savoia, Antonio Bovenzi, Rosario D’Onofrio, Dario Pompa, Giuseppe Annino, Vincenzo Manzi
Summary: In soccer, roles, and substitutions could make unclear how different physical capacities decrease over time and impact performance. This investigation aimed to analyze kinematic parameters and their changes over game time and provide information to effectively prescribe training programs. Data from four professional teams were analyzed, and all the teams competed in the Premier Division championship. Average metabolic power and high-intensity activities associated with critical moments in the match were considered in the comparisons. The video analysis system STATS SportVU collected the data during official matches. Players were assigned to a specific group according to their time played, categorized as follows: 0-15′, 15-30′, 30-45′, 45-60′, 60-75′, 75-90′, and > 90 min. Different roles, including forwards and wingers (FW), midfielders (MF), center-backs (CB), and side-backs (SB) were also considered. Significant differences (p<0.05) were found in different roles and within roles at different times played. The results highlighted how MF performance decreased over time, whereas CB was unaffected by time. SB spent more time at very high velocity than other roles, independently from the time played. These findings provide valuable information about the physical demands of official soccer games and could be used to review training prescriptions.

9 Dual-Tasks in Soccer: Effects of Players‘ Experience and Task Condition on Physical Performance

Reference: Percept Mot Skills. 2024 May 28:315125241257398. doi: 10.1177/00315125241257398. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Gibson Moreira Praça, Pedro Henrique de Almeida Oliveira, Vitor Hugo Santos Resende
Summary: In this study, we examined whether experience level and various dual motor and cognitive or single tasks influenced young soccer players‘ physical performance during small-sided games. Participants were 72 players from U-13 (n = 36) and U-17 (n = 36) groups who participated in 3-to-a-side small-sided games under four experimental conditions: control, a secondary motor task, an additional related secondary cognitive task, and an additional secondary non-specific task. We used GPS devices to measure physical performance in terms of distances covered and accelerations at different thresholds. We found no significant interaction effect between player experience and task condition (p = .540), meaning that dual tasks had comparable effects on players of different experience levels. There were significant main effects of both experience level (p < .001) and condition (p < .001) on most physically related variables. Older players outperformed younger ones, particularly in high-intensity actions. While secondary motor tasks decreased physical performance, secondary cognitive tasks, irrespective of specificity, did not impair players‘ performances. In conclusion, experience level did not influence the players‘ physical response to dual tasks, and a secondary motor task was more disruptive to physical performance than either of two types of secondary cognitive tasks. Cognitive tasks can be incorporated into soccer training without compromising physical performance.

10 Tactical Situations and Playing Styles as Key Performance Indicators in Soccer

Reference: J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. 2024 May 21;9(2):88. doi: 10.3390/jfmk9020088.
Authors: Spyridon Plakias, Themistoklis Tsatalas, Vasileios Armatas, Dimitris Tsaopoulos, Giannis Giakas
Download link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11130910/pdf/jfmk-09-00088.pdf
Summary: The game of soccer is complex and unpredictable, demanding multifaceted strategies for success. Performance analysis has evolved, focusing on key performance indicators (KPIs) to determine the factors that most significantly influence a team’s success or failure during matches. Traditional performance analysis methods have emphasized quantifiable data like physical exertion and basic play events but often neglected the subtler tactical dimensions that could significantly impact game outcomes. This study aimed to fill the gap in the current literature by creating a comprehensive framework that incorporates tactical situations as KPIs. The objective was to examine whether specific playing styles adopted by teams in various tactical situations and phases of the game could predict the outcome of matches. A dataset comprising all First Division Championship matches from 11 different European countries for the 2021-2022 season was analyzed. Variables representing tactical situations were correlated with match outcomes using a Generalized Estimating Equation framework. The model was specified with a binomial distribution and a logit link function. Statistical significance was determined using Wald χ2 tests with a significance level set at p < 0.05. The study’s findings revealed that possession style, counterattacking during offensive transitions, and a balanced aggressive defensive strategy significantly increase a team’s chances of victory. It also showed that successful teams tend to focus on central attacks, minimize crossing, and execute strategic plays that lead to final attempts on goal with minimal ball possession. The above findings demonstrate that adopting certain tactical approaches significantly influences soccer match outcomes, highlighting the importance of considering tactical aspects as KPIs.

11 Developing the Physical Performance in Youth Soccer: Short-Term Effect of Dynamic-Ecological versus Traditional Training Approach for Sub-Elite U13 Players-An Ecological Exploratory Cluster Randomised Trial

Reference: J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. 2024 May 3;9(2):83. doi: 10.3390/jfmk9020083.
Authors: Italo Sannicandro, Samuel Agostino, Massimiliano Abate Daga, Franco Veglio, Federico Abate Daga
Download link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11130894/pdf/jfmk-09-00083.pdf
Summary: Currently, research in youth soccer consists of methodological choices that can raise activity volumes and exercise intensity to promote proper training for youth soccer demands. Therefore, the present cluster randomised trial aims to evaluate the effects of the dynamic-ecological approach on the physical performance parameters compared with a traditional one in a group of sub-elite U13 players. Thirty-five male children (age 12.16 ± 0.55 years; weight 45.59 ± 7.15 kg; height 145.5 ± 4.2 cm; BMI 15.8 ± 2.1 kg·m-2) were recruited for this trial from two teams belonging to sub-elite soccer schools and randomly assigned to a dynamic-ecological approach (DEA) or a traditional training (TTG) group. The training program lasted six weeks and consisted of 18 training sessions of 90 min each (3 sessions per week). The sample was evaluated by the standing long jump (SLJ), hop test (HT), 10 m sprint (10 m), 10 × 5 m shuttle run test (SRT), and leg raise test (LR). The DEA group showed significantly higher results in the SLJ (p < 0.001), HT left leg (p < 0.001), 10 m sprint (p < 0.001), and SRT (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the dynamic-ecological approach provides higher performance adaptations. Therefore, this approach can be considered a suitable method to optimise pre-pubertal player training, mainly when no fitness or strength coach is available.

12 The Effect of a Novel Video Game on Young Soccer Players‘ Sports Performance and Attention: Randomized Controlled Trial

Reference: JMIR Serious Games. 2024 May 27:12:e52275. doi: 10.2196/52275.
Authors: Adrian Feria-Madueño, Germán Monterrubio-Fernández, Jesus Mateo Cortes, Angel Carnero-Diaz
Summary: Currently, the fusion of technology and sports is inevitable. The integration of various systems and devices has brought about significant transformations in established sports practices, impacting not only the rules but also physiological, biomechanical, and even psychological aspects. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of an attention intervention through a video game on young soccer players. Twelve young male soccer players (age: mean 8.5, SD 1 years) were divided into 2 groups: a control group (CG; n=10) and an experimental group (EG; n=10). During the 6-week training program, the EG received attention training through a video game twice a week for 15 minutes per session. Pre- and postintervention measurements included a specific decision-making soccer test and interviews with coaching staff. Additionally, success in the video game, muscular activity, and sweat levels were monitored. The EG demonstrated a significant improvement in video game success following the intervention program, as indicated by the achieved level (P<.001). However, no significant differences were found between groups regarding electromyographic (EMG) activity (P=.21) and sweating (P=.20). Prior to implementing the attention training program, both groups exhibited similar data for variables related to decision-making and execution mechanisms (≤10%). Only 2 decision-making variables exceeded 10% but remained below 15% (Shot_D=13.35%; Marking_with_Ball_D=-12.64%). Furthermore, changes in attacking action variables were more pronounced in execution-related variables, except for dribbling and fixing. Conversely, in defensive action variables, changes were greater in decision-related variables, except for marking with the ball and marking without the ball. Our findings reveal that incorporating a specific attentional video game into a soccer training program enhances decision-making compared to a program without the video game. Therefore, it is advisable for practitioners to consider using this tool due to its high efficiency in terms of economic and temporal costs, particularly in improving a key psychological variable.

13 Long-term motor training enhances functional connectivity between semantic and motor regions in an effector-specific manner: evidence from elite female football athletes

Reference: Brain Struct Funct. 2024 May 30. doi: 10.1007/s00429-024-02808-1. Online ahead of print.
Authors: Qingcan Zhou, Yanzhang Chen, Chenglin Zhou, Jian Wang
Download link: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00429-024-02808-1.pdf
Summary: The relation between the action verb semantic processing and sensorimotor experience remains controversial. In this study, we examined whether plasticity changes in brain are specifically related to semantic processing of foot action verbs when long-term motor training is mainly aimed at the foot. To address this question, we acquired resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans and behavioral data from a verb two-choice task from female expertise football players and football novices. We compared the resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) differences between experts and novices using motor execution regions and general semantic regions (left anterior temporal lobe, lATL) as seed, and explored the neural correlates of behavioral performance. Here, the drift rate (v) parameter of the drift diffusion model (DDM) was used to capture the semantic processing capability. We found experts showed increased correlation between lATL subregions and important brain regions for motor processing, including supplementary motor area (SMA), bilateral paracentral lobule (PL), superior parietal lobule and inferior parietal lobule, in contrast to novices. Further predictive model analysis showed the FC found in rsFC analysis can significantly predict drift rate of foot action verb in both experts and novices, but not drift rate of hand action verb. Our findings therefore establish a connection between effector-related semantic processing and the plasticity changes in brain functional connectivity, attributable to long-term foot-related motor training. This provides evidence supporting the view that semantic processing is fundamentally rooted in the sensorimotor system.

14 FIFA Initiatives Improved Survival After Loss of Consciousness During Football Games

Reference: Sports Med Int Open. 2024 Mar 22:8:a21969348. doi: 10.1055/a-2196-9348. eCollection 2024.
Authors: Sotirios Katsigiannis, Nader Maai, Polykarpos Patsalis, Sergiu Groppa, Konstantinos Gousias, Bogdan Pintea
Download link: https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/pdf/10.1055/a-2196-9348.pdf
Summary: Loss of consciousness (LOC) during football games is associated with very high mortality rates. In order to address football medical emergencies, in 2013 FIFA implemented the „FIFA 11 steps to prevent sudden cardiac death“ program and distributed the FIFA Medical Emergency Bag. The purpose of this work was to identify independent survival factors after LOC on the pitch and to investigate the effectiveness of the FIFA initiatives. An internet search was performed to identify football players suffering LOC on the pitch between 1990 and 2021. A total of 268 cases could be identified and were dichotomized according to the implementation date of the FIFA medical emergency bag. There was 55% mortality after LOC, while cardiogenic LOC was more often (82% vs. 20%) fatal than traumatic LOC. Mortality in developing countries was higher than in developed countries. From the year 2013 survival improved significantly for both traumatic and cardiogenic cases. The location of the LOC significantly influenced survival (OR: 0.20 and p<0.001). LOC on the football field is associated with increased mortality and requires separate monitoring based on a traumatic vs. non-traumatic cause. FIFA initiatives significantly reduced mortality after LOC but significant differences were identified between developed and developing countries.

15 The effect of a 10-week TOCA Football System intervention program on sport-specific motor skills among junior footballers

Reference: Front Sports Act Living. 2024 May 13:6:1339768. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2024.1339768. eCollection 2024.
Authors: Zoltán Tamás Szabó, Evelin Derkács, Balázs Deli, Viktória Prémusz, Lívia Vass, Henriette Pusztafalvi, Pongrác Ács
Download link: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2024.1339768/full
Summary: The objective of our study was to examine, in addition to using the TOCA Football System tool and training method, the effect of a 10-week intervention on elite youth athletes in terms of their sport-specific motor skills and anthropometric variables. The study covered a group of 32 young players practicing football (U14) (13.45 ± 0.64 years). The junior U14 footballers were randomly assigned to an intervention or TOCA group (TG, N = 15, 13.25 ± 0.58 years) and a control group (CG, N = 17, 13.63 ± 0.66 years). Before starting the test, we performed full anthropometric measurements and assessed the sample’s agility with and without the ball and their sport-specific endurance. The measurements were then repeated after the 10-week intervention. Within-group analysis showed significant improvements in muscle mass (p < 0.001), sport-specific endurance (p < 0.001), (p < 0.004) and agility (in TG) both with and without the ball (p = 0.002), (p = 0.004) however, we did not find a significant change in body fat percentage in either group (p = 0.988, p = 0.288). In the CG, „agility with the ball“ changed significantly only (p = 0.023). In the between-group analysis with a repeated-measures analysis of variance (mixed-design ANOVA), there was no significant interaction in any performance variables. The main findings of this study indicate that a TOCA Football training program in addition to normal training during the in-season period does not produce additional effects in anthropometric factors, sport-specific endurance and agility performance with the ball (dribbling) and without the ball in comparison with the control condition. From a practical point of view, the presented anthropometric and physical profiles of players can be useful for football coaches in optimizing soccer training. Overall, it also can be concluded that the device can be safely used in the sensitive age group in terms of the development of motor skills since we did not find any negative effects during the use of the device in terms of the parameters we examined. In addition to the expansion of the number of elements and the inclusion of other age groups, it is advisable to carry out further complex tests, as the TOCA Football System offers many research opportunities.

16 Complex knee injuries in football : Management from injury to return to competition

Reference: Orthopadie (Heidelb). 2024 Jun;53(6):438-448. doi: 10.1007/s00132-024-04508-4. Epub 2024 May 27. [Article in German]
Authors: Werner Krutsch, Thomas Kobes, Lorenz Huber, Dominik Szymski, Markus Geßlein, Johannes Rüther, Volker Alt, Johannes Weber
Summary: Knee joint injuries are a regular and serious injury in football, often resulting in a long period of absence for players and are, therefore, a significant disadvantage for clubs. The various structures of the knee joint, such as ligaments, meniscus or cartilage, are exposed to the risk of injury due to different sport-specific situations in football and require different and specific therapeutic approaches for their adequate healing. Both surgical and conservative treatment measures have been well investigated scientifically, especially for knee joint injuries in football, so that a successful and sustainable return to play on field is highly possible. Only in professional football is there a deviation from the usual standard of treatment in special situations in order to meet the demands and goals of professional footballers. In order to do address different subpopulations in football in the various injury types, both in treatment and in the return to play decision and, thus, sustainable secondary prevention, in addition to knowledge of scientific evidence on knee joint injuries, basic experience in the sport in which the patients with knee joint injuries are active is also useful.