Changes in performance and psychological variables in official games of young elite soccer players playing away and home matches

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of the home-game and away-game conditions on the psychological (cognition, mood, and anxiety state) and technical and physical performance of a team of young elite soccer athletes. Nine athletes who performed home and away games were used as the sample for this pilot study. When compared to a home game, in the away game situation, there is a higher pre-match strain and anxiety (all P < .01) and a decrease in saves, passes completed, maximum heart rate (HRmax), and acceleration per min-1 (all P < .05). The cognition was similar in both games (P = .22). Also, we identify a positive correlation of delta cognition (cognition pre- minus post-game) with HRmax, accelerations per min-1, completed passes, and pre-match anxiety and strain. In conclusion, young elite athletes have lower physical/technical performance and significant psychological disturbance when playing away, and short-term memory is related to physical and technical performance. Keywords: psychometrics; adolescent; high performance sport.

Keywords

• psychometrics
• adolescent
• high performance sport