Tactical games and action-research models for skill development in youth football

In the football context, the Tactical Games Model (TGM) emerges as an innovative approach that integrates technical and tactical learning through realistic game situations. Despite the fact that the TGM is widely used in physical education to develop students' tactical and decision-making skills, its use in the training of young footballers is still limited.This study employed a quasi-experimental design (non-randomized) to evaluate the effectiveness of a new methodological approach, TGM, compared to action research, in improving learning and the development of key competences related to technical-tactical performance in football. The sample included 40 young footballers between the ages of 11 and 13, divided into an Experimental Group (EG) and a Control Group (CG), with equal distribution based on age and experience. Using an action-research approach, the EG followed the TGM while the CG followed a traditional approach. Two distinct 9-month training protocols were implemented. Performance was evaluated using the Game Performance Assessment Instrument (GPAI), administered before and after the intervention. The EG benefited significantly from the TGM approach, with a significant increase in total scores, from a pre-test average of 15.25 to a post-test average of 22.45. Statistical analysis confirmed the difference between groups (p= .00026). This study shows that TGM represents a promising methodology for the development of technical-tactical skills in young footballers