Change of Direction and Dribble Deficit in Soccer: Is There Any Difference Related to Age Category?

Change of direction (COD) and technical skills are considered key parameters of performance in youth soccer, as they are highly demanded during a match. The aim of this study was to examine whether change of direction and Dribble deficit (DD) differ between younger soccer players from various consecutive age categories. Ninety young soccer players (mean age: 11.67 ± 1.29 years; body height: 154.84 ± 10.82 cm; body weight: 43.95 ± 9.62 kg) participated in the study and were divided into 5 age categories (Under 10, Under 11, Under 12, Under 13, and Under 14). All the participants performed change-of-direction tests (the Slalom and Zig-zag) with and without a ball. The DD is determined indirectly by reducing the time variation between the fastest trials with and without a ball. The results revealed that the U14 group is significantly better in the Slalom with and without a ball compared to the other groups, in the Slalom DD compared to the U12 group, and Zig-Zag DD compared to the U13 group (p < 0.05). On the other hand, as expected, the U10 group showed the lowest results, with the Slalom test results significantly lower compared to the other categories (p < 0.05). In conclusion, as was expected, the oldest group (U14) showed better results in both COD tests and in DD compared to their younger peers, with the youngest group (U10) exhibiting the lowest values in almost all the tests.