The Moderating Role of Football Player Satisfaction in the Relationship between Coaches' Transformational Leadership and Team Cohesion

This study focuses on football coaches and their athletes from universities in Shaanxi Province, aiming to explore the moderating role of football player satisfaction in the relationship between coaches' transformational leadership and team cohesion. Utilizing a questionnaire survey and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) for analysis, our findings reveal that player satisfaction significantly moderates the relationship between coaches' transformational leadership and team cohesion. Specifically, higher levels of athlete satisfaction with their coaches' transformational leadership correspond to increased team cohesion. Furthermore, athletes' satisfaction acts as a mediating factor in the positive impact of coaches' transformational leadership on team cohesion. This research provides a theoretical foundation and practical guidance for university football coaches in enhancing team cohesion.