Can Recreational Soccer Improve Physical Literacy Dimensions Among Adolescents with High Cardiometabolic Risk?

This study aimed to analyze whether recreational soccer, through small-sided and traditional soccer formats, can promote improvements in different dimensions of physical literacy among adolescents with high cardiometabolic risk.

A randomized controlled trial was conducted with two experimental conditions (small-sided soccer games and traditional soccer) and one control condition. A total of 51 male adolescents aged 11-15 years with high cardiometabolic risk participated in the study. A model including three dimensions of physical literacy was established: physical, psychological, and cognitive dimensions. Data were standardized using z-scores to allow variable weighting within the model, and effect sizes and ANCOVA were used for inter- and intragroup comparisons.

The overall effect on physical literacy was small (ES: 0.31). The small-sided soccer group showed better results in the physical and psychological dimensions. The per-protocol analysis showed small effects in the high-adherence groups (ES = 0.43 and 0.38) and significant within-group differences; however, the post hoc analyses only revealed trends when compared with the low-adherence groups.

Recreational soccer, whether in SSG or TSG formats, was insufficient to elicit significant improvements in physical literacy among adolescents with high cardiometabolic risk. Participants with higher adherence showed better outcomes, with SSG showing a clear tendency toward greater improvements in the physical and psychological domains.