Background

This study aimed to examine how muscle strength and balance in adolescent recreational football players were affected by FIFA 11+ (11+). Study design: Randomized controlled study.

Methods

The research comprised 24 football players from a team in an amateur league(age: 16.3 ± 0.8 years; height: 176.9 ± 7.3 cm; body mass: 67.3 ± 8.7 kg; BMI: 21.4 ± 1.9 kg/m²). The experimental group (N = 13) had three applications of the 11 + each week for nine weeks. The usual warm-up was continued by the control group (N = 11). The footballers underwent isokinetic and Star Excursion Balance Tests (SEBT) both before and after an intervention.

Results

Prior to the intervention, the experimental group's right hamstring-to-quadriceps (H/Q) strength ratio at 60 °/sec was significantly higher than that of the control group (p = 0032). Following the intervention, there was no difference between the groups (p > 0,05). After training at 240 °/sec, only the left quadriceps peak torque value of the experimental group was significantly higher compared to the control group (101.2 ± 21.4 vs. 85.8 ± 10.7 Nm, p = 0.042). In the comparisons of the groups after the intervention, the experimental group in SEBT was found to be significantly higher (85.4 ± 9.9 vs. 78.0 ± 6.7 cm, p = 0.040) in the right anteromedial aspect while there were no differences between the groups in the other aspects (p > 0,05). In SEBT, assessments of the within-groups before and after the intervention revealed a significant difference in nearly every aspect between the control group and the experimental group (p < 0,05).

Conclusion

The FIFA 11 + program appears to be more effective in improving dynamic balance than isokinetic muscle strength in adolescent amateur soccer players. These findings suggest that while FIFA 11 + may enhance neuromuscular control, additional strength-focused training may be required to elicit substantial strength gains in this population.

Clinical relevance

FIFA11 + is a widely used programme on adolescent football players, and understanding effects on balance and muscle strength can help to understand efficiency of the programme for injury prevention at early ages.