Big boys get picked to play for professional soccer academies. This can start as young as age 8-9. This physical advantage can stay for many years until everybody catches up. After this age soccer skills become more important. New research shows that at a certain age, your physical abilities will no longer compensate for your skills. What age physical strength becomes less important in soccer? This age is 14 years.
When You Are Young Size Matters
The picture below is taken from a youth game between AJAX and Sparta. Although the angle makes it seem larger than life. The difference in size shows how physical aspects can improve your stature in your youth.
Puberty Kicks In
Between the ages of 9 and 14 years puberty kicks in and changes everything. Some boys who start puberty early have an advantage. This can be seen by the simple fact that most youth players in elite soccer academies are born in the first 3 months. Since the cut-off is according to the calendar year, Soccer players born in January, February and March are overrepresented, compared to other months. Chart from here.
If you compare the graph above with the graph below, you will be surprised. The graph below shows the birth months of the golden ball winners from 1956-2019. These winners are seen as the best in the world. In the graph, you will find that the best soccer players in the world are actually born in the later months. This also means that a lot of potential talent is wasted by judging on physical appearance at youth teams.
Tactical Is Just As Important
Within soccer youth players you are judge on physical, tactical and technical skills. When you are young physical qualities dominate more than tactical and technical skills. As soccer players mature, both technical and technical skills become more important.
A study from the Netherlands compared youth elite soccer players from Holland and Indonesia showed that the differences are not just necessarily physical, but also tactical skills. See the graph below.
Don’t Rely On Physical Qualities
After age 14 most boys have gone through puberty. This means physically players have gained an average of the body their muscle mass compared to the under10’s. The average under 10’s has a muscle mass of 16 kg, while at under 14’s the average muscle mass is 28 kg! This also means that players are strong enough to protect the ball and tackle the ball.
Physical Qualities Are Not Enough
A study from Finland found that between 10 and 12 years olds there is a huge difference in physical qualities. This difference disappears and transfers from general physical qualities towards specific soccer skills. As the authors noted:
- Before puberty the players were able to compensate weaker soccer-specific skills with better general physical performance abilities.
- Soccer-specific skills became more important with age and at the age of 14 the players were not able to compensate soccer-specific skills with general physical performance abilities.
Find out more at www.soccersync.com