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

Impact of biological maturation on match workload in Portuguese elite male academy soccer players

Nuno Ribeiro
1, 2, 3
,
Oliver Gonzalo-Skok
4
,
João Valente-Dos-Santos
2, 5, 6
,
Mauro Mandorino
7, 8
,
Marco Beato
9
,
Jamie Salter
10
,
Hadi Nobari
11, 12
,
Nuno Loureiro
3
,
Ruben Ferreira
3
,
João Pedro Araújo
3
,
Francisco Tavares
3

  1. Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Universidade Lusófona, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
  2. CIDEFES, Research Center in Sports, Physical Education, Exercise and Health, Universidade Lusófona, 1749 024 Lisbon, Portugal
  3. Medical and Performance Department, Sporting Clube de Portugal, Lisbon, Portugal
  4. Department of Communication and Education, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, Seville, Spain
  5. CIFI2D, Centre of Research, Education, Innovation and Intervention in Sport, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
  6. COD, Center of Sports Optimization, Sporting Clube de Portugal, 1600-464 Lisbon, Portugal
  7. Performance and Analytics Department, Parma Calcio 1913, 43121 Parma, Italy
  8. Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, Piazza L. de Bosis 6, 00135 Rome, Italy
  9. School of Health and Sports Sciences, University of Suffolk, Ipswich IP4 1QJ, United Kingdom
  10. School of Science, Technology and Health, York St John University, York, United Kingdom
  11. Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil 56199-11367, Iran
  12. Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Extremadura, 10003 Cáceres, Spain
Biol Sport. 2026;43:1329-1340
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/biolsport.2026.161102
Online publish date: 2026/04/20
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Youth soccer academies are essential for identifying and developing talented players, yet substantial inter-individual variability in biological maturation may influence match workload beyond chronological age. This study investigated the independent and interactive effects of biological maturation and age on match workload in elite male youth soccer players (U14–U17). Sixty Portuguese academy players were assessed at six time points across two competitive seasons (2021–22 and 2022–23). Biological maturation was classified using the percentage of predicted adult height, grouping players as pre-/circa-PHV and post-PHV. Mixed-effects models were used to examine the effects of age, maturity status, and their interaction on match workload metrics. Chronological age significantly influenced high-speed running (β = 0.527, p = 0.001) and sprint distance per minute (β = 0.174, p = 0.001). In contrast, total distance per minute and total accelerations and decelerations per minute were shaped by significant age × maturity interactions (p ≤ .001), indicating stronger maturityrelated effects at younger ages that attenuated across adolescence. Chronological age alone does not adequately account for variability in match workload among elite youth soccer players. Biological maturation plays a significant role, in conjunction with age, in determining the demands of total distance and acceleration/deceleration, with more pronounced effects observed at younger ages and a diminishing influence as players reach post-peak height velocity (PHV) stages. Conversely, high-speed running and sprinting distances are primarily influenced by age. These findings underscore the necessity of incorporating biological maturity into the interpretation of match workload, particularly during early to-mid adolescence.
keywords:

Adolescent Performance, External Load, Match Demands, Somatic Maturity, Youth Soccer

  
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