Compassion and self-compassion in young male soccer players: a comparison between high-performance and amateur clubs

Objectives This study examined compassion and self-compassion in male soccer players from two environments, a high-performance academy (“Leistungszentrum” [LZ]) and amateur clubs (AC). It aimed to compare group differences and explore associations with age, club experience, training load, and match exposure. Methods 188 players (LZ: 120; AC: 68) completed the Compassionate Motivation and Action Scales (CMAS) and a demographic questionnaire. Players were categorized into foundation (U11–U13), performance (U14–U17), and transition (U19–U21) phases. MANOVAs, ANOVAs, and regressions were used for analysis. Results LZ-players did not differ from amateur players in self-compassion but showed significantly higher compassion distress tolerance. Years of club experience is associated with compassion; age, training load, number of games, and years in a LZ were not. Transition-phase LZ-players showed higher total compassion scores than their amateur peers. Compared to first-division data, the present second-division LZ sample showed slightly higher compassion and self-compassion scores. Conclusion High-performance academy affiliation was not associated with lower compassion or self-compassion. Compassion could be fostered through structured and socially stable sport contexts and should be considered a valuable resource for long-term well-being and retention in soccer.