Research summary · Mental health
Psychological characteristics in talented soccer players
A review asks whether psychological characteristics distinguish talented youth football players or predict later development.
- Publication year
- 2026
- First published online
- Publication type
- Systematic review and meta-analysis
- Journal
- Frontiers in Psychology
- Population / context
- Talent-development football · Youth players
What the publication reports
Twelve longitudinal studies followed 3,748 players. Achievement motivation showed a small association with later attainment (g = 0.20), but the confidence interval was close to zero and between-study heterogeneity was high.
Limits and interpretation
Certainty was very low, measures and talent definitions differed and observational associations do not prove selection value. Psychological scores should not be used alone to select or release young players.
Read the source
Consult the original record for the full author list, methods, references, funding and competing-interest disclosures.
The psychological characteristics behind talented soccer players: a systematic review with meta-analysis
Original publication / indexed recordPMID: 42170656DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1821294Full text at the sourceReader discussion
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