THE EFFECTS OF OPPOSITION ON COLLECTIVE AND INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOURS IN SOCCER: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Abstract

Opposition in soccer is a determining factor for the success of collective and individual actions that are performed by the players to solve the problems of the game. Many studies studied the opposition in official matches and training and its impact on the dimensions of soccer. However, no previous review organised the literature about the effects of the opposition in soccer training. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to verify: i) the effects of the opposition on individual and collective behaviours in soccer training; ii) how was the level of the opposition established during training; and iii) how the variables were analysed and instruments utilized to measure those effects. The PRISMA guidelines were used to search five databases for relevant publications before 10th April 2023. The population was soccer players, and the outcome was any variable related to the tactical, technical, physical, and/or psychological dimension. In the end, there were thirteen studies included. Overall, the main results pointed out two ways to establish the opposition in soccer training: numerical relations and through teams’ composition according to players’ individual characteristics. Moreover, it is possible to affect soccer’s tactical, technical, and physical dimensions by establishing the opposition in different ways. Manipulating the opposition through numerical relationships can facilitate the exchange of passes and maintenance of ball possession, in the offensive phase, and generate greater commitment in attempts to recover possession of the ball in the defensive phase. Regarding the individual characteristics of the players, the effects of the opposition depend mainly on the variable used in organising the teams.

Key words: football, training sessions, small-sided games, decision-making, tactics