Effects of Developmental Activities and Interventions on Decision‐Making Skills in Soccer Players: A Scoping Review

ABSTRACT Decision‐making is a key determinant of performance in soccer, yet evidence regarding how it develops across the sport pathway and how it can be effectively trained remains fragmented. This scoping review examined: (i) the effects of developmental activities and (ii) the effects of field‐based and laboratory‐based interventions on perceptual‐cognitive and perceptual‐motor decision‐making skills in youth and adult male and female soccer players. Following PRISMA and PRISMA‐ScR guidelines, six databases were systematically searched. Soccer players constituted the population, and outcomes included perceptual‐cognitive and perceptual‐motor decision‐making skills. Of 5,527 records identified, 36 studies met the inclusion criteria, with 50% published between 2020 and 2024. Seven studies addressed developmental activities, whereas 29 examined interventions. Evidence from developmental studies indicates that sustained engagement in soccer‐specific activities, particularly deliberate play and deliberate practice during childhood and early adolescence, is associated with higher decision‐making performance. Intervention studies showed that field‐based approaches, such as game‐based pedagogies, small‐sided games (SSG), and non‐linear training designs, can improve selected aspects of decision‐making across school, academy, and university contexts, although effects varied according to task design, assessment instruments, and intervention duration. In contrast, findings from laboratory‐based interventions were limited and inconsistent, with unclear transfer to on‐field decision‐making. Overall, the findings suggest that decision‐making development in soccer is influenced by both long‐term engagement in soccer‐specific activities and appropriately designed field‐based interventions. Key limitations include the predominance of male samples, heterogeneous methodologies, limited effect‐size reporting, and scarce research on decision‐making speed and female players. Directions for future research are outlined.