Decision-Making and Game Perception in Soccer Players

Abstract

This study examines the effectiveness of a Perceptual Tactical Training (ETP) intervention designed to enhance tactical perception and decision-making skills in professional soccer players aged 18–20 years. The ETP programme integrates psychocognitive components, including personality traits measured by the Big Five Inventory and cognitive abilities assessed using Raven’s Progressive Matrices, providing a comprehensive profile that combines tactical, psychological, and cognitive dimensions. A pilot quasi-experimental design was implemented, with an experimental group completing the ETP programme and a control group maintaining regular training across five weeks. Pre- and post-intervention assessments used football-specific tasks to measure tactical perception and decision accuracy, alongside personality traits and cognitive abilities. Descriptively, the experimental group showed higher post-intervention scores on tactical perception and decision-making indicators, whereas the control group exhibited minimal change. Players reported high acceptance and perceived usefulness of the programme. Given the small sample size and exploratory nature of the study, these findings should be interpreted as preliminary but support the feasibility of the intervention and the relevance of integrating multiple dimensions to personalise training in football. This multidimensional approach offers promising insights for developing evidence-based, context-sensitive training strategies for player development and coaching practice.