Enhancing Physical and Cognitive Performance in Youth Football: The Role of Specific Dual-Task Training

Background: Football performance depends on the integration of physical, technical, and cognitive abilities under constantly changing conditions. In this context, dual-task training combining physical and cognitive demands has emerged as a promising approach to enhance decision-making and game intel...

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Autores: Ramírez Lucas, Juan Miguel, Párraga Montilla, Juan Antonio, Cabrera Linares, José Carlos, Latorre Román, Pedro Ángel
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Jaén
Repositorio:RUJA. Repositorio Institucional de la Producción Científica de la Universidad de Jaén
OAI Identifier:oai:ruja.ujaen.es:10953/7159
Acceso en línea:https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk10040404
https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5142/10/4/404
https://hdl.handle.net/10953/7159
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:U16 football players
dual task training
performance
visual attention
N/A
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spelling Enhancing Physical and Cognitive Performance in Youth Football: The Role of Specific Dual-Task TrainingRamírez Lucas, Juan MiguelPárraga Montilla, Juan AntonioCabrera Linares, José CarlosLatorre Román, Pedro ÁngelU16 football playersdual task trainingperformancevisual attentionN/ABackground: Football performance depends on the integration of physical, technical, and cognitive abilities under constantly changing conditions. In this context, dual-task training combining physical and cognitive demands has emerged as a promising approach to enhance decision-making and game intelligence in youth football players. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of an eight-week dual-task training programme on physical (speed, strength, and agility), cognitive (working memory, planning, processing speed, and response time), technical (dribbling and short passing), and dual-task performance in U16 football players. Methods: Thirty-two players (age: 14.88 ± 0.65 years; BMI: 20.98 ± 1.79 kg/m2) were randomly assigned to a control group (n = 14) and an experimental group (n = 18). The experimental group completed a dual cognitive–motor training (CMT) programme consisting of 24 sessions (3 sessions/week, 10–15 min each), integrated into regular football practice. Pre-intervention and post-intervention assessments included football skills (dribbling and passing tests), cognitive tests (Wom-Rest and Vismem-Plan), physical tests (countermovement jump, 20 m sprint, and 505 change-of-direction), and a dual-task test (soccer skills and cognitive aptitude test). Results: The experimental group showed significant improvements in all assessed variables, while the control group exhibited no changes or declines in performance. The most notable effects were observed in SoSCAT with visual interference, dual-task cost, and 505 change-of-direction. Conclusions: The findings suggest that integrating brief dual CMT programmes into regular football practice can simultaneously enhance physical, technical, and cognitive performance in youth players. This evidence supports the implementation of dual CMT as an effective and time-efficient tool in talent development programmes.mdpi202620262025info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionapplication/pdfhttps://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk10040404https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5142/10/4/404https://hdl.handle.net/10953/7159reponame:RUJA. Repositorio Institucional de la Producción Científica de la Universidad de Jaéninstname:Universidad de JaénInglésFunctional Morphology and KinesiologyAttribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Spainhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/es/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:ruja.ujaen.es:10953/71592026-06-24T12:41:07Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Enhancing Physical and Cognitive Performance in Youth Football: The Role of Specific Dual-Task Training
title Enhancing Physical and Cognitive Performance in Youth Football: The Role of Specific Dual-Task Training
spellingShingle Enhancing Physical and Cognitive Performance in Youth Football: The Role of Specific Dual-Task Training
Ramírez Lucas, Juan Miguel
U16 football players
dual task training
performance
visual attention
N/A
title_short Enhancing Physical and Cognitive Performance in Youth Football: The Role of Specific Dual-Task Training
title_full Enhancing Physical and Cognitive Performance in Youth Football: The Role of Specific Dual-Task Training
title_fullStr Enhancing Physical and Cognitive Performance in Youth Football: The Role of Specific Dual-Task Training
title_full_unstemmed Enhancing Physical and Cognitive Performance in Youth Football: The Role of Specific Dual-Task Training
title_sort Enhancing Physical and Cognitive Performance in Youth Football: The Role of Specific Dual-Task Training
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Ramírez Lucas, Juan Miguel
Párraga Montilla, Juan Antonio
Cabrera Linares, José Carlos
Latorre Román, Pedro Ángel
author Ramírez Lucas, Juan Miguel
author_facet Ramírez Lucas, Juan Miguel
Párraga Montilla, Juan Antonio
Cabrera Linares, José Carlos
Latorre Román, Pedro Ángel
author_role author
author2 Párraga Montilla, Juan Antonio
Cabrera Linares, José Carlos
Latorre Román, Pedro Ángel
author2_role author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv U16 football players
dual task training
performance
visual attention
N/A
topic U16 football players
dual task training
performance
visual attention
N/A
description Background: Football performance depends on the integration of physical, technical, and cognitive abilities under constantly changing conditions. In this context, dual-task training combining physical and cognitive demands has emerged as a promising approach to enhance decision-making and game intelligence in youth football players. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of an eight-week dual-task training programme on physical (speed, strength, and agility), cognitive (working memory, planning, processing speed, and response time), technical (dribbling and short passing), and dual-task performance in U16 football players. Methods: Thirty-two players (age: 14.88 ± 0.65 years; BMI: 20.98 ± 1.79 kg/m2) were randomly assigned to a control group (n = 14) and an experimental group (n = 18). The experimental group completed a dual cognitive–motor training (CMT) programme consisting of 24 sessions (3 sessions/week, 10–15 min each), integrated into regular football practice. Pre-intervention and post-intervention assessments included football skills (dribbling and passing tests), cognitive tests (Wom-Rest and Vismem-Plan), physical tests (countermovement jump, 20 m sprint, and 505 change-of-direction), and a dual-task test (soccer skills and cognitive aptitude test). Results: The experimental group showed significant improvements in all assessed variables, while the control group exhibited no changes or declines in performance. The most notable effects were observed in SoSCAT with visual interference, dual-task cost, and 505 change-of-direction. Conclusions: The findings suggest that integrating brief dual CMT programmes into regular football practice can simultaneously enhance physical, technical, and cognitive performance in youth players. This evidence supports the implementation of dual CMT as an effective and time-efficient tool in talent development programmes.
publishDate 2025
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025
2026
2026
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk10040404
https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5142/10/4/404
https://hdl.handle.net/10953/7159
url https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk10040404
https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5142/10/4/404
https://hdl.handle.net/10953/7159
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Functional Morphology and Kinesiology
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Spain
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/es/
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Spain
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/es/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv mdpi
publisher.none.fl_str_mv mdpi
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:RUJA. Repositorio Institucional de la Producción Científica de la Universidad de Jaén
instname:Universidad de Jaén
instname_str Universidad de Jaén
reponame_str RUJA. Repositorio Institucional de la Producción Científica de la Universidad de Jaén
collection RUJA. Repositorio Institucional de la Producción Científica de la Universidad de Jaén
repository.name.fl_str_mv
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