Biology of Sport
eISSN: 2083-1862
ISSN: 0860-021X
Biology of Sport
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Original paper

Growth, maturity status and performance of youth soccer players by playing status as adults

Robert M. Malina
1, 2
,
Luís Horta
3
,
João P. Duarte
4
,
Nuno Silva-Borges
4
,
Tomas Oliveira
5
,
Jorge M. Celis-Moreno
4, 6
,
Oscar M. Tavares
7
,
Andre Seabra
8
,
Jan M. Konarski
9
,
Manuel J. Coelho-e-Silva
4, 10

  1. University of Texas at Austin, Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, Austin, Texas, United States of America
  2. University of Louisville, School of Public Health and Information Sciences, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
  3. Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Lisboa Central (CHULC), Centro Clínico Académico de Lisboa (CCAL), Lisboa, Portugal
  4. University of Coimbra, FCDEF, Coimbra, Portugal
  5. State University of Londrina, Physical Education and Sport Center (GEPEMENE), Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
  6. University of Santo Tomas, Bogotá, Colombia
  7. Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra Health School, Coimbra, Portugal
  8. Portugal Football School, Portuguese Football Federation, Lisbon Portugal
  9. Poznań University of Physical Education, Sports Science, Poznań, Poland
  10. University of Coimbra, CIPER, Coimbra, Portugal
Biol Sport. 2026;43:693–701
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/biolsport.2026.156225
Online publish date: 2026/01/02
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To evaluate the growth, maturity and performance characteristics of select youth soccer players grouped by subsequent playing status as adults. Height, weight, skeletal and pubertal maturity status, and performances on jumping, speed and aerobic endurance tasks were measured in 1998–1999 for 135 players 11–12 (n=29), 14–15 (n=61) and 16–17 (n=45) years. Based on records of the Portuguese Soccer Federation for the 2018–2019 season, 63 of the players were not involved in soccer as adults, while 47 played at the amateur level and 25 played professionally. Among players 11–12 years, those playing professionally as adults performed significantly better in the jump and sprint compared to peers no longer playing, while among players 14–15 years, those playing professionally as adults were significantly taller and performed better in the sprint as youth. Among players 16–17 years, in contrast, those playing soccer as an amateur or professionally and those no longer involved as adults did not differ as youth in body size, skeletal and pubertal maturity status, and performances. Comparisons of the youth characteristics of those playing soccer as adults and those no longer involved indicated no consistent pattern in the three competitive age groups considered. Unfortunately, information on soccer-specific skills and coach perceptions of skills and characteristics of youth players was not available.
keywords:

Youth athletes, Talent development, Skeletal age, Pubertal status, Coach perceptions

  
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