A Multidimensional Perspective on Talent Identification and Development in Elite Athletes: A Scoping Review

Talent identification and development represent central topics within sport sciences due to the increasing competitiveness of elite sport and the investment made by sport organizations to identify talented athletes from early ages and support their progression toward elite adult performance. However, the developmental pathways of elite athletes and the prediction of adult success from youth experiences remain unclear. Therefore, the present scoping review aimed to map, summarize, and critically analyze the scientific evidence regarding talent identification and development among highly competitive athletes. A literature search was performed in three electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science). Studies examining developmental pathways, youth-adult performance relationships, predictive models among highly competitive athletes, as well as qualitative evidence regarding the experiences of elite athletes, were included. Manuscripts written in English, Portuguese, or Spanish were considered for analysis. 52 studies were included in the present review, representing a broad range of sport categories, predominantly CGS sports (n = 22), followed by game sports (n = 12), mixed-sport samples (n = 8), combat sports (n = 5), and artistic/compositional sports (n = 2). Early involvement in sport and in the main sport appeared to be common among highly competitive athletes; however, early specialization was not consistently associated with elite adult performance across sports. Diversified sport participation, engagement in coach-led and peer-led activities, and supportive sporting environments also emerged as important characteristics throughout athlete development. In general, youth performance demonstrated limited predictive validity for adult elite attainment although world-class athletes in some sports frequently presented superior developmental trajectories during adolescence. Furthermore, current predictive models frequently relied on isolated dimensions and did not adequately account for the multidimensional and non-linear nature of talent development. Talent identification and development should be understood as multidimensional and sport-specific processes influenced by multiple interacting constraints throughout athlete development. Although youth performance alone demonstrated limited predictive validity for adult elite attainment, developmental experiences during childhood and adolescence remain important for long-term athlete development. Future research should prioritize longitudinal and sport-specific approaches integrating multiple interacting constraints to improve the understanding and prediction of elite performance.