The influence of maturation, physical capacity, technical ability and motor competence on playing level and position in youth soccer players

Introduction The process of talent identification (TID) aims to recognise individuals who possess the ability to excel in a given sport. Identifying talent at an early age ensures that athletes are provided with a suitable learning environment so that they havetheopportunitytorealisetheirpotential(Williams and reilly, 2000). however, TID is not a simple process, especially throughout adolescence, as maturation and physical development occur at different rates for each individual (Figueiredo et al., 2009). It is common for coaches and selectors to mistake early maturation with athletic talent, resulting in older individuals more frequently selected into talented soccer programmes during adolescence (Helsen et al., 1998).