Relative age effects in soccer are typified by an overrepresentation of players born earlier in the selection year. Examinations of relative age effects remain limited in female players and developing soccer nations. The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of sex, age, nation, playing position, and playing status in international level soccer players under Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf). The sample consisted of a total of 1,959 active soccer…

Youth male soccer is more competitive than ever as clubs strive to recruit, develop, and produce future elite soccer players. Within youth soccer academies, it is important to recognise that, talent development (TD) and (de)selection are on-going and complex multidisciplinary processes with several challenges. Part 1 of this paper presents three real-world practical challenges including: (1) the ability to differentiate between performance and potential, (2) understanding and alignment to develop talented players,…

Talent identification (TI) in soccer is a complex and multifactorial process within the context of collegiate sport in the United States, where coaches must assess performance-ready athletes often under strict regulatory and resource constraints. Despite the critical role college coaches play in bridging youth to professional soccer, little is known about their evaluative priorities during recruitment. This study examined how soccer coaches from female and male NCAA Division I and II programs perceived the importa…

Talent identification of young soccer players is a significant consideration for elite youth soccer organisations, with decisions on players often being made based on the subjective expert opinion of scouts and coaches. Previous research has suggested that scouts and coaches purportedly consider a multitude of factors before arriving at their decisions. However, to date, limited research exists regarding how coaches evaluate player potential within such organisations and how the consideration of further data may i…

Important decisions surrounding talent identification (TID), talent development (TD) and (de)selection within elite youth soccer are often grounded in the subjective opinions of coaches. These opinions often stem from coaches’ observations of player performance, which have been shown to be susceptible to several biases. Additionally, previous research has failed to establish specific criteria on which such opinions are based, aside from a coach's own intuition and practical experience. This study aimed to create a…