Decision-making practice activities during coaching sessions in youth soccer: A cross-comparison of elite coaching contexts across European countries

Introduction: A key performance attribute that has been consistently shown to discriminate highly skilled soccer players from their lesser-skilled counterparts is the ability to make effective decisions under pressure situations during match-play. The aim of this study was to investigate the microstructure of decision-making practice in youth academies of professional top-division clubs from England, Germany, Portugal, and Spain. This was the first study to assess the structures of coach-led practice activities in youth soccer across multiple countries. Methods: A total of 53 soccer coaches working with U12-16s age group male players across 16 youth academies of professional top-division clubs in four European nations took part. Altogether, 83 practice sessions were analysed in situ. Sessions were analysed for the proportion of time in ‘non-active decision-making’ (e.g., unopposed technical/tactical skills practices, fitness training) and ‘active decision-making’ activities (e.g., small-sided games, skills practice with opposition), with the latter deemed superior for the transfer of ‘game intelligence’ skills to match-play. Results: More time was spent in active decision-making (M = 62%) compared to non-active decision-making activities (M = 20%) and transitioning between activities (M = 17%). Players from Portugal and Spain spent a higher amount of time in active decision-making activities compared to English and German players. English players spent more time in unopposed technical-based drills and German players in improving fitness aspects of the game without the ball. Conclusion: Our data contradict some earlier findings where non-active decision-making activities were greater than active. Moreover, it extends previous research assessing coach-led youth soccer practice in single countries by offering a comprehensive cross-comparison of differences in training activities between youth academies at top-division professional clubs in multiple European countries.