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Completed

NCT Number: NCT07479368

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

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).

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Key information

Conditions

Football Players Decision Making

Age range

9 year–9 year

Sex eligibility

Male

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Tecnológico de Antioquia

Medellín, Colombia

About this study

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.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

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.

Treatment and study plan

Tactical Programme for Critical Thinking (TPCT)

Behavioral

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.

Matched Academy Football Training

Behavioral

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.

Primary outcomes

  1. Stroop Task Football Test Total Index (TI)

    Time frame: Baseline (before the first intervention session) and 48 to 72 hours after the participant's final intervention session (approximately 3 weeks after baseline).

    The STFT Total Index is a football-specific cognitive-motor performance measure derived from successful responses divided by execution time. Higher values indicate better integrated decision-making and execution performance.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Stroop Task Football Test Execution Time (ET)

    Time frame: Baseline (before the first intervention session) and 48 to 72 hours after the participant's final intervention session (approximately 3 weeks after baseline).

    Number of correct decisions regarding the required football action type during the STFT.

  2. Stroop Task Football Test Decision-Making: Direction of Movement (DMA-DM)

    Time frame: Baseline (before the first intervention session) and 48 to 72 hours after the participant's final intervention session (approximately 3 weeks after baseline).

    Number of correct decisions regarding movement direction during the STFT.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Federal University of Vicosa

Other

Registry information

Official study title

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

Acronym: TPCT-F-U9

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Mar 18, 2026
Registry last updated
Jul 6, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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