AGE-RELATED DIFFERENCES IN PHYSICAL AND TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL ANALYSIS OF ELITE BULGARIAN YOUTH FOOTBALL PLAYERS (U12–U14)
Keywords:
youth football, physical performance, agility, dribbling, motor development, U12–U14, athlete monitoring, talent developmentAbstract
Purpose: This study aimed to examine age-related differences in physical and technical performance among elite youth football players aged 12 to 14 years. Specifically, the research focused on sprinting ability (10m and 20m), agility, and dribbling performance to assess how these skills evolve during early adolescence. Methods: A total of 75 male youth football players from a professional academy were tested and divided into three age groups: U12 (n = 37), U13 (n = 16), and U14 (n = 22). The test battery included a 10-meter sprint, 20-meter sprint, slalom agility run, and dribbling test. Descriptive statistics (mean ± standard deviation) were calculated for each group. A one-way ANOVA assessed between-group differences, with significance set at p < .05. All data were collected and analyzed using SPSS v27 for macOS 14 PRO. Results: The U13 group showed the best sprint performance, with significantly faster times in both the 10m and 20m (U13: 2.11s (10m) vs. U14: 2.51s) sprints (p < .001) compared to the other age groups. No statistically significant differences were found for agility or dribbling performance. While sprint speed improves with age, agility, and technical ability may require more prolonged or specialized training to elicit significant progression. Conclusions: Sprint performance in youth football players improves significantly between ages 12 and 14, likely due to growth and neuromuscular development. However, agility and dribbling performance remain relatively stable, highlighting the need for targeted training strategies. Coaches should consider these developmental patterns when designing age-appropriate training programs focused on both physical and technical development
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