Executive functions, deliberate practice, and biological maturation are associated with soccer success

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze which variables were most important for the teams’ final rank. Executive function, deliberate practice, and biological maturation between a higher-ranked and a lower-ranked team in the championship were considered. The 51 players were divided into the top and bottom team. The players underwent stop-signal, design fluency, and verbal fluency tests. Deliberate practice was asked by questionnaire, and biological maturation was based on maturity offset. The statistical analyses were performed with discriminant analysis and a comparison between teams. The results showed a discriminatory power in biological maturation, deliberate practice, and design fluency test. The Stop-Signal results show statistically significant differences in favor of the top team (SSRT: p=0.006 / d=0.84 and MRT: p=0.016 / d=0.74). Moreover, players in the top team had more deliberate practice time (p<0.000 / d=1.41), as well more advanced maturation (p<0.000 / d=1.62) than the players in the bottom team. Therefore, executive function, deliberate practice, and biological maturation seems to be essential for collective soccer success and should be stimulated in training sessions.

Keywords

• Cognition
• executive functions
• soccer
• biological maturation
• deliberate practice