An extraordinary physiological capacity combined with remarkable motor control, perception, and cognitive functioning is crucial for high performance in sports. Tests that assess the physical abilities are already well established. Moreover, a growing area of research evolved in the recent past that is particularly concerned with the basic cognitive functions by means of neurocognitive tests in experts and elite athletes. The aim of this meta-analysis (k = 19) is to quantify differences among experts and nonexperts as well as elite athletes and non-elite athletes. In addition, it aims to assemble and compare previous research and analyze possible differences in cognitive functions depending on age, skill level, and used cognitive tasks. Overall, the mean effect size was small to medium (r = 0.22), indicating superior cognitive functions in experts and elite athletes. The factor of skill definition significantly differentiates the cognition-expertise relationship. In contrast, differences in age groups and cognitive areas appeared but were not significant. Future research should prefer the elite rather than the expert definition and distinguish between high-performance and amateur athletes. Furthermore, the findings suggest that it can be beneficial for coaches and sport clubs to integrate cognitive tests as an additional tool for scouting and for optimizing the athletic development of their players.

The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between basic cognitive functions and sport-specific motor skills in elite youth soccer players. A total of 15 elite youth soccer players aged 11–13 years performed a computer-based test battery measuring the attention window (AW), perceptual load (PL), working memory capacity (WMC), and multiple object tracking (MOT). Another set of tests was used to asses speed abilities and football-specific technical skills (sprint, change of direction, dribbling, ball control, shooting, and juggling). Spearman’s correlation tests showed that the diagonal AW was positively associated with dribbling skills ( r s = 0.656) which indicates that a broader AW could be beneficial for highly demanding motor skills like dribbling. WMC was positively related to dribbling ( r s = 0.562), ball control ( r s = 0.669), and ball juggling ( r s = 0.727). Additionally, the cumulated score of all cognitive tests was positively related to the cumulated motor test score ( r s = 0.614) which supports the interplay of physical and psychological skills. Our findings highlight the need for more, and especially longitudinal, studies to enhance the knowledge of cognition-motor skill relationships for talent identification, talent development, and performance in soccer.

Summary The study examined the (1) interrelation of cognitive‐athletic performance concerning game time and (2) injuries; (3) relation between executive functions and game intelligence. A total of 172 elite soccer players (age: 12–34 years) performed tests assessing multiple‐object‐tracking, working memory capacity (WMC), cognitive flexibility (CF), and inhibition. General and specific‐endurance‐performance, and physical performance (jumps and sprint) were also measured. Game intelligence, time and injuries were tracked. WMC, CF, and a total cognition score showed correlations with game intelligence, and the same parameter, along with selective attention and game intelligence were also correlated with game time. Sprint and specific‐endurance were connected with game time, whereas contact injuries only correlated with sprint, and noncontact injuries with sprint and general‐endurance. Especially executive functions represent fundamental associations with game intelligence and ‐time across all age groups, whereas certain physiological abilities may contribute to more game time and less non‐contact injuries depending on age.

Visual and executive functions have been suggested to be crucial in high-demanding team sports. Consequently, the interest in evaluating training possibilities of these functions is relatively high. However, easily applicable training tools, as well as evidence of their efficacy, especially in the present group of age (i.e. 17–21 years) and performance level, are scarce. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and transfer of an essential cognitive training tool (i.e. NeuroTracker [NT] three dimensional [3D] multiple-object tracking [MOT]) in youth elite soccer players. Visual and executive functions were analyzed in a pre–post test design with an intervention and a control group after 10 weeks of training twice a week. Physical activity was included as a possible covariate. Results show meaningful benefits in the trained ability (i.e. MOT) besides small but negligible improvements in visual clarity and inhibition for the intervention group. Consequently, strict single-task NT 3D-MOT seems to have little transfer to other visual or executive functions. However, future studies should investigate the effects of sport-specific dual-task NT 3D-MOT to analyze possible multitasking adaptations further.

Visual and cognitive skills are key to successful functioning in highly demanding settings such as elite sports. However, their mutual influence and interdependencies are not sufficiently understood yet. This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between visual skills and executive functions in elite soccer players. Fifty-nine male elite soccer players (age: 18–34 years) performed tests assessing visual clarity (left-, right-, and both eyes), contrast sensitivity, near-far quickness, and hand-eye coordination. Executive function measures included working memory capacity, cognitive flexibility, inhibition and selective attention. Overall, visual abilities were largely correlated with executive functions. Near-far quickness performance showed a large correlation with an executive function total score as well as with cognitive flexibility, working memory, and especially selective attention. Visual clarity and contrast sensitivity were moderately correlated with the cognition total score. Most consistent correlations with the visual functions were present for working memory. These findings present an overall vision-cognition relationship but also very specific linkages among subcategories of these functions, especially meaningful relations between near-far quickness, selective attention and cognitive flexibility. Further studies are needed to investigate the neuropsychological mechanisms accounting for the correlations and possible improvements of the executive functions by training specific visual skills.

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Objectives: The study’s aim was threefold: examine 1) the relation between executive functions and coach-rated evaluation of game intelligence; 2) the predictive value of cognitive and athletic performance parameters concerning playing time, and 3) injuries to analyze fundamental associations of soccer expertise across all ages.Design/Methods: A sample of 172 elite soccer players (12-34 years of age) performed tests assessing multiple-object tracking, working memory capacity, cognitive flexibility, and inhibition. Endurance-performance at the individual anaerobic threshold (IAT), ability to repeatedly perform intense exercises (RIEA) and maximal anaerobic performance parameters (squat jump, countermovement jump, drop jump, sprint) were also measured. Game intelligence game time and injury incidence were tracked.Results: Working memory capacity, cognitive flexibility, and a total cognition score showed correlations with game intelligence, and the same parameter, along with selective attention and game intelligence, were also correlated with game time. Sprint and RIEA were connected with game time, whereas contact injuries only correlated with sprint, and noncontact injuries with sprint and performance-IAT.Conclusion: Especially executive functions represent fundamental associations with game intelligence and game time across all age groups but not with injury incidences, whereas certain physiological abilities may contribute to more game time and less non-contact injuries depending on age.