Mental fatigue impairs physical activity, technical and decision-making performance during small-sided games

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Exercise Physiology
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Mental fatigue is increasingly recognized as a factor influencing athletic performance.
• Understanding its specific impact on soccer skills is crucial for training and strategy.
• Small-sided games (SSG) are a common training method in soccer, requiring both physical and cognitive exertion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of mental fatigue on physical activity, technical execution, and decision-making in sub-elite soccer players during SSGs.
• To compare performance after a mental fatiguing task versus a control condition.

Main Methods:

• Nine sub-elite soccer players participated in a crossover design study.
• Players completed two SSGs, one after a mental fatiguing task (Stroop task) and one after a control task (documentary watching).
• Physical activity (GPS) and technical/decision-making performance (video analysis) were recorded during the SSGs.

Main Results:

• Mental fatigue significantly impaired distance in acceleration per minute, passing accuracy, shot accuracy, and increased negative passes.
• Decision-making performance, including accuracy in passes and dribbling, was also likely decreased following mental fatigue.
• GPS-derived physical activity metrics and soccer-specific decision-making were negatively affected by the mental fatiguing protocol.

Conclusions:

• Mental fatigue detrimentally affects key performance indicators in soccer players during SSGs.
• Cognitive load from mentally fatiguing tasks prior to soccer activities can compromise physical, technical, and decision-making abilities.
• Coaches and players should consider minimizing cognitively demanding activities before soccer-specific training or competition to optimize performance.