This study examined the effects of a tactical training program based on critical thinking (TPCT) on the tactical efficiency and decision-making performance of university futsal players. The intervention was designed to strengthen players' ability to interpret the dynamics of play, anticipate opponents' actions, and generate adaptive tactical responses under competitive conditions.

The program followed a socio-constructivist framework, promoting learning through problem solving and interaction among teammates. Training sessions combined representative game situations, reflective questioning, and guided tactical discussions.

A single-group pre-post design was implemented. Thirteen university players participated voluntarily after providing informed consent and receiving approval from the institutional ethics committee. Data were collected before and after the intervention to assess individual and collective tactical performance, goal effectiveness, and time of ball possession.

The study aimed to provide evidence on the educational and performance impact of a critical thinking-based tactical approach in futsal, contributing to contemporary models of athlete development and pedagogical innovation in team sports.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 18 years or older at the time of enrollment.
• Registered player of the university futsal team participating in the study.
• Minimum of 1 year of regular, organized futsal practice.
• Regular attendance at team training (at least 2 sessions per week) in the 3 months prior to baseline testing.
• Medical clearance or self-report indicating ability to perform high-intensity futsal training and testing.
• Provision of written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Current musculoskeletal injury or pain that limits normal futsal training or match participation at baseline.
• History or diagnosis of cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, or metabolic disease that contraindicates high-intensity exercise.
• Use of medications that substantially affect physical performance, heart rate response, or perception of effort, as judged by the study physician or medical screener.
• Participation in another structured experimental training program targeting futsal performance during the intervention period.
• Absence from more than 20% of the scheduled TPCT training sessions.
• Withdrawal of informed consent at any time during the study.

Participation is not restricted based on self-identified gender. Eligibility is defined by biological sex and membership in the university futsal team according to the study inclusion criteria, without additional limitations based on gender identity.

The plan for sharing individual participant data (IPD) has not been finalized. The study involves a small, identifiable sample of university athletes from a single team, which increases the risk of re-identification even after de-identification procedures. Before any IPD can be shared, the research team must review the informed consent documentation, institutional policies, and ethics committee recommendations to determine whether controlled access to an anonymized dataset is appropriate. If IPD sharing is implemented in the future, conditions for access, type of data shared, and repository details will be specified in an updated record and in subsequent publications.