Are strength and power capacities different among youth soccer players according to playing position? A cross-sectional study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55040/bpg6a058Keywords:
youth soccer, muscular strength, muscular power, vertical jump, playing positionAbstract
Strength and power performance are key determinants of soccer performance, particularly during explosive actions such as jumping, accelerations, and changes of direction; however, evidence regarding differences according to playing position in youth soccer players is limited and contradictory. The aim of this study was to analyse whether isometric strength and muscular power differ in U17 soccer players according to their playing position. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 24 male U17 soccer players (16.4 ± 0.6 years) from a Latin American academy (Tier 3). Maximal isometric strength of the quadriceps and hamstrings was assessed using load-cell dynamometry, and muscular power was estimated through the Squat Jump (SJ) and Countermovement Jump (CMJ). Comparisons between playing positions (goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, and forward) were performed using one-way ANOVA, Welch’s ANOVA, or the Kruskal–Wallis test, depending on the fulfilment of statistical assumptions, and bilateral agreement was analysed using the intraclass correlation coefficient. No significant differences were found between goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and forwards in isometric strength variables or SJ and CMJ performance (p > 0.05). Inter-limb agreement was significant only for quadriceps peak force (ICC = 0.76) and hamstring power (ICC = 0.47). In conclusion, in U17 soccer players, isometric strength and muscular power do not differ according to playing position, suggesting a relatively homogeneous neuromuscular profile during developmental stages.
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