Effects of a Tactical Programme for Critical Thinking on Football-Specific Decision-Making in Under-9 Academy Players

Effects of a Tactical Programme for Critical Thinking on Football-Specific Decision-Making and Execution Time in Under-9 Academy Players: A Controlled Parallel-Group Study Using the Stroop Task Football Test

This study evaluates whether two academy football training programmes are associated with different changes in football-specific cognitive-motor performance in under-9 male players. One academy cohort completed a Tactical Programme for Critical Thinking (TPCT) embedded within game-centred training, whereas a comparison cohort followed its usual repetition-oriented academy programme. Performance was assessed before and after 12 training sessions using the Stroop Task Football Test (STFT), including execution time, response accuracy, and a derived Total Index.

This non-randomised, controlled, parallel-group pre-post applied study compared football-specific cognitive-motor performance after two academy training programmes in male under-9 players. Participants belonged to two separate academy cohorts and completed 12 on-field training sessions.

The TPCT training programme combined structured, inquiry-based tactical reflection with a game-centred session design involving modified games, task constraints, and extended representative play. Structured reflection required players to identify the tactical objective, discuss actions that facilitated or constrained performance, consider alternative responses, and agree on an observable collective adjustment to test during subsequent play.

The comparison cohort followed its academy's usual repetition-oriented training programme, characterised primarily by technical drills, passing and dribbling activities, and customary game play without planned collaborative reflection or systematic reflective pauses.

Both cohorts trained three times per week for approximately 90 minutes per session. Because each condition was implemented in one academy cohort, training condition and academy context could not be statistically separated.

Football-specific performance was assessed using the Stroop Task Football Test (STFT). The registered primary outcome was the Total Index (TI). Execution time (ET), type-of-action accuracy (TA), direction-of-movement accuracy (DM), and total correct responses were evaluated as additional STFT outcomes.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male academy football players registered in the under-9 category.
• Regular participation in academy football training.
• Free from injury at baseline and able to fully participate in training and testing.
• Written informed consent provided by a parent or legal guardian.
• Age-appropriate assent provided by the child participant.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Any injury or medical condition limiting full participation at baseline.
• Injury sustained during the study that prevents continued full participation.
• Absence from more than 25% of intervention sessions.
• Inability to complete baseline assessment.
• Inability to complete post-intervention assessment.