NCT07479368

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

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 13 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Federal University of Vicosa · Academic / Other
• Sex: Male
• Age: 9 Years – 9 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This study evaluates whether embedding a Tactical Programme for Critical Thinking (TPCT) within routine academy football training improves football-specific decision-making and execution speed in under-9 male players. Participants will complete either TPCT-integrated training or standard academy training, and performance will be assessed before and after the intervention using the Stroop Task Football Test (STFT).

Detailed description

This controlled, parallel-group, pre-post applied study examines the effects of a Tactical Programme for Critical Thinking (TPCT) embedded within routine under-9 academy football training. The intervention is delivered on the training pitch under normal practice conditions across 12 on-pitch sessions. Both groups complete the same overall training frequency, session duration, and weekly schedule, but only the experimental group receives structured reflective questioning integrated into constrained small-sided games and free-play activities. The study focuses on football-specific cognitive-motor performance assessed with the Stroop Task Football Test (STFT), which quantifies execution time (ET), decision-making for type of action (DMA-TA), decision-making for direction of movement (DMA-DM), and a derived Total Index (TI). The hypothesis is that TPCT will improve decision speed and decision quality compared with standard repetition-based training.

Conditions

• Football Players
• Decision Making

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Tactical Programme for Critical Thinking (TPCT)	A socio-constructivist, game-based pedagogical intervention embedded within routine under-9 academy football training. TPCT is delivered over 12 on-pitch sessions and includes: (1) a brief opening collective dialogue (\~10 minutes) focused on the tactical principle of the day; (2) constrained small-sided games designed to amplify targeted information-action couplings; (3) brief structured reflection episodes (3-5 minutes) guided by five critical-thinking questions addressing tactical objective, helpful and hindering actions, alternatives, performance evaluation, and collective adjustment; and (4) extended free play representing approximately 50% of session time to promote transfer.
BEHAVIORAL	Matched Academy Football Training	Routine academy football training delivered under normal practice conditions, matched across groups for weekly frequency, session duration, and tactical content. Sessions target offensive and defensive tactical principles through regular coaching activities. In the control condition, training emphasizes repetition-based technical drills and customary game play without structured reflective questioning.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-04-14
• Primary completion: 2026-06-01
• Completion: 2026-06-01
• First posted: 2026-03-18
• Last updated: 2026-03-18