Describing the tactical knowledge used by young competitive soccer players: A psychophenomenological analysis

Abstract

Purpose. Decision-making is the process through which players choose the most appropriate action to perform in the play. Previous investigations did not clearly portray the specific decisional background of learning players considering the progressing state of their capabilities and game knowledge. The study aimed to describe significant information picked up in situ and how young soccer players applied it to make decisions in the play. Methods. Three male soccer players aged 14 years were interviewed after 2 official district championship games in Portugal. Their games were filmed; the video sequences showing offensive actions were extracted and edited for visualization. before questioning, each sequence was visualized for recalling the game actions. The explicitation interview technique was used to help the athletes describe in detail their recalled actions. In line with the recommendation in similar studies, a content analysis of the interviews was conducted to identify the decisional background and the links between elements of information picked up in situ and the decision itself. Results. The players did not perform a detailed judgement for every decision and were influenced by direct constraints such as opponent pressure. In contrast, they occasionally assessed risks and opportunities emerging in the game depending on their colleagues’ actions and the pitch zone. At times, they relied on their imagination of what their teammates would do with the action outcome. Conclusions. Key elements of the decisional background are common among learning players and can be used as a reference for further investigation or practical intervention in game teaching.