Declarative and procedural tactical knowledge in soccer: Analysis in U-14 and U-15 youth players

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the relationship between Declarative (DTK) and Procedural (PTK) Tactical Knowledge and compare it between soccer athletes with ages U-14 and 15. 22 U-14 athletes and 18 U-15 athletes from two different teams were evaluated through the Test of Declarative Tactical Knowledge in Soccer – TCTD-Fb2 and the field test of System of Tactical Assessment in Soccer – FUTSAT. Results showed significant and moderate correlation between DTK and PTK, absence of difference between the groups regarding the DTK and PTK, and significant differences regarding the incidence of tactical principles and the total number of tactical actions. It is concluded that DTK and PTK are associated, as suggested in the literature, and the differences in tactical skills of players with different ages are more related to their ability how do decide in the game context.