Identification and assessment of perceptual-cognitive skills in academy soccer

Perceptual-cognitive skills (PCS) are fundamental for high performance in professional soccer, and thus youth academy players must develop these skills to enhance their chances of progressing to senior soccer and securing professional contracts. Consequently, it is important that stakeholders involved in talent identification and development processes (i.e. coaches/scouts) can identify and assess these skills to inform identification, (de)selection and development processes. However, little is known about the identification and assessment process of PCS by these stakeholders. The aim of this study was to critically examine how coaches working in professional soccer academies in the UK identify and assess PCS. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 academy coaches working in category one to three academies in the UK. Reflexive thematic analysis generated five higher-order themes: (1) education, knowledge and understanding; (2) experience; (3) challenges; (4) club-specific context; and (5) biases, along with various secondary and tertiary themes. Findings highlighted inconsistencies and a lack of standardised methodologies for identifying and assessing PCS in talent development environments. Participants' understanding of PCS was shaped by informal learning and limited education in this area. Future research should, therefore, consider developing assessment tools and frameworks that can support coaches with the identification and assessment of PCS.