Abstract

Common early initiation into soccer has justified soccer formats adapted to the needs of children. Experts recommend a 3-a-side format in soccer initiation as the minimum unit to ensure development of all the game’s principles. This paper analyzes the impact on the technical performance of players aged 5-7 of a teaching unit designed to ensure respect for these principles based on a set of premises that promote the numerical superiority of the team on attack. We have built simple logistic regression models to study the quality – adaptation (to the formative process of the child) and success (if it entails continuity of the attack – passes correctly – or leads to a shot) – of the technical contacts made by players aged 5-7 in a 3-a-side soccer game before and after the realization of the teaching unit. We found that the teaching unit under study improves the quality of the technical performance of players aged 5-7.