The Role of Growth and Maturation in the Physical Development of Youth Male Soccer Players

Abstract

Biological maturation and growth influence youth athletes’ physical performance during adolescence. However, how this association develops over time remains unclear. Thus, this study examined associations between biological maturity and sprint speed, vertical jumping ability, leg strength, and aerobic capacity between ages 14.1 and 17.4 in youth male soccer players. A total of 103 players were followed. Performance in 40-m sprint, countermovement jump (CMJ), leg press, and maximal oxygen consumption (V̇O_2max) was tested biannually at seven time points. Maturity was estimated using bone age from hand-wrist X-rays. Latent growth modelling examined changes in maturity-performance associations over time. Maturity was significantly (p < 0.05) associated with sprint, CMJ, leg strength (force and power), and V̇O_{2 max} at ages 14.1, 14.7, and 15.3 years. The associations were, however, less significant over time. Specifically, maturity was no longer statistically associated with sprint and CMJ performance at 15.7 years, force and V̇O_{2 max} at 16.4 years, and power at 16.8 years. There were no significant associations at 17.4 years. Biological maturity influences physical capacities during early adolescence, but its impact diminishes as players age. The timing of this decline appears to vary between physical performance domains, with sprint and jump performance stabilizing earlier than muscular strength and aerobic capacity.

Keywords

puberty - growth - adolescence - maturation - physical performance - athletic development

Publication History

Received: 10 April 2025

Accepted after revision: 01 August 2025

Accepted Manuscript online:
01 August 2025

Article published online:
02 September 2025

• References

• 1 Malina RM, Bouchard C, Bar-Or O. Growth, Maturation, and Physical Activity. Human Kinetics; 2004
• 2 Albaladejo-Saura M, Vaquero-Cristóbal R, González-Gálvez N, Esparza-Ros F. Relationship between Biological Maturation, Physical Fitness, and Kinanthropometric Variables of Young Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18 (01) 328
• 3 Grendstad H, Nilsen AK, Rygh CB. et al. Physical capacity, not skeletal maturity, distinguishes competitive levels in male Norwegian U14 soccer players. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2020; 30 (02) 254-263
• 4 Parr J, Winwood K, Hodson-Tole E. et al. The Main and Interactive Effects of Biological Maturity and Relative Age on Physical Performance in Elite Youth Soccer Players. J Sports Med. 2020; 2020: 1-11
• 5 Radnor JM, Oliver JL, Waugh CM, Myer GD, Moore IS, Lloyd RS. The Influence of Growth and Maturation on Stretch-Shortening Cycle Function in Youth. Sports Med 2018; 48 (01) 57-71
• 6 Deprez D, Valente-Dos-Santos J, Coelho-E-Silva MJ, Lenoir M, Philippaerts R, Vaeyens R. Longitudinal Development of Explosive Leg Power from Childhood to Adulthood in Soccer Players. Int J Sports Med 2015; 36 (08) 672-679
• 7 Cripps AJ, Hopper L, Joyce C. Maturity, Physical Ability, Technical Skill and Coaches’ Perception of Semi-Elite Adolescent Australian Footballers. Pediatr Exerc Sci 2016; 28 (04) 535-541
• 8 Cumming SP, Lloyd RS, Oliver JL, Eisenmann JC, Malina RM. Bio-banding in Sport: Applications to Competition, Talent Identification, and Strength and Conditioning of Youth Athletes. Strength Cond J 2017; 39 (02) 34-47
• 9 Towlson C, Cobley S, Parkin G, Lovell R. When does the influence of maturation on anthropometric and physical fitness characteristics increase and subside?. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2018; 28 (08) 1946-1955
• 10 de Almeida-Neto PF, Silva L, Miarka B. et al. Influence of Advancing Biological Maturation on Aerobic and Anaerobic Power and on Sport Performance of Junior Rowers: A Longitudinal Study. Front Physiol 2022; 13: 892966
• 11 Kemper HC, Verschuur R, Ritmeester JW. Longitudinal development of growth and fitness in early and late maturing teenagers. Pediatrician 1987; 14 (04) 219-225
• 12 Sullivan J, Roberts SJ, Mckeown J. et al. Methods to predict the timing and status of biological maturation in male adolescent soccer players: A narrative systematic review. PLoS One 2023; 18 (09) e0286768
• 13 Teunissen JWA, Rommers N, Pion J. et al. Accuracy of maturity prediction equations in individual elite male football players. Ann Hum Biol 2020; 47 (04) 409-416
• 14 Almeida-Neto PF, de Medeiros R, de Matos DG. et al. Lean mass and biological maturation as predictors of muscle power and strength performance in young athletes. PLoS One. 2021; 16 (07) e0254552
• 15 Haugen T, Buchheit M. Sprint Running Performance Monitoring: Methodological and Practical Considerations. Sports Med 2016; 46 (05) 641-656
• 16 Altmann S, Ringhof S, Neumann R, Woll A, Rumpf MC. Validity and reliability of speed tests used in soccer: A systematic review. PLoS One. 2019; 14 (08) e0220982
• 17 Bagchi A, Raizada S, Thapa RK, Stefanica V, Ceylan Hİ. Reliability and Accuracy of Portable Devices for Measuring Countermovement Jump Height in Physically Active Adults: A Comparison of Force Platforms, Contact Mats, and Video-Based Software. Life (Basel) 2024; 14 (11) 1394
• 18 Ruf L, Altmann S, Müller K. et al. Concurrent validity of countermovement and squat jump height assessed with a contact mat and force platform in professional soccer players. Front Sports Act Living 2024; 6: 1437230
• 19 Redden J, Stokes K, Williams S. Establishing the Reliability and Limits of Meaningful Change of Lower Limb Strength and Power Measures during Seated Leg Press in Elite Soccer Players. J Sports Sci Med. 2018; 17 (04) 539-546
• 20 Larsen F, Loturco I, Sigvaldsen E, Strand MF, Kalhovde JM, Haugen T. Reliability and Validity of Different Lower-Limb Strength Tests to Determine 1RM in the Keiser A300 Leg Press. J Strength Cond Res 2023; 37 (10) 1963-1968
• 21 Bassett DR, Howley ET. Limiting factors for maximum oxygen uptake and determinants of endurance performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2000; 32 (01) 70-84
• 22 Malina RM, Eisenmann JC, Cumming SP, Ribeiro B, Aroso J. Maturity-associated variation in the growth and functional capacities of youth football (soccer) players 13-15 years. Eur J Appl Physiol 2004; 91 (5/6) 555-562
• 23 Silva AF, Ramirez-Campillo R, Ceylan Hİ, Sarmento H, Clemente FM. Effects of Maturation Stage on Sprinting Speed Adaptations to Plyometric Jump Training in Youth Male Team Sports Players: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Open Access J Sports Med 2022; 13: 41-54
• 24 Moran J, Sandercock GR, Ramírez-Campillo R, Meylan C, Collison J, Parry DA. A meta-analysis of maturation-related variation in adolescent boy athletes’ adaptations to short-term resistance training. J Sports Sci 2017; 35 (11) 1041-1051
• 25 Cunha G, Lorenzi T, Sapata K, Lopes AL, Gaya AC, Oliveira Á. Effect of biological maturation on maximal oxygen uptake and ventilatory thresholds in soccer players: an allometric approach. J Sports Sci 2011; 29 (10) 1029-1039
• 26 Malina RM, Rogol AD, Cumming SP, Coelho e Silva MJ, Figueiredo AJ. Biological maturation of youth athletes: assessment and implications. Br J Sports Med 2015; 49 (13) 852-859
• 27 Tumkur Anil Kumar N, Oliver JL, Lloyd RS, Pedley JS, Radnor JM. The Influence of Growth, Maturation and Resistance Training on Muscle-Tendon and Neuromuscular Adaptations: A Narrative Review. Sports (Basel) 2021; 9 (05) 59
• 28 Rumpf MC, Cronin JB, Oliver J, Hughes M. Kinematics and Kinetics of Maximum Running Speed in Youth Across Maturity. Pediatr Exerc Sci 2015; 27 (02) 277-284
• 29 McKinlay BJ, Wallace P, Dotan R. et al. Effects of Plyometric and Resistance Training on Muscle Strength, Explosiveness, and Neuromuscular Function in Young Adolescent Soccer Players. J Strength Cond Res. 2018; 32 (11) 3039-3050
• 30 Van Hooren B, De Ste Croix MB. Sensitive Periods to Train General Motor Abilities in Children and Adolescents: Do They Exist? A Critical Appraisal. Strength Cond J 2020; 42 (06) 7-14
• 31 Grendstad H, Skarstad SÅ, Edvardsen T, Hallén J. A Prospective Study on Maximal Oxygen Uptake and Cardiovascular Functions in 12-Year-Old Endurance Athletes and Their Non-Endurance-Trained Peers. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2025; 35 (01) e70016
• 32 Landgraff HW, Hallén J. Longitudinal Training-related Hematological Changes in Boys and Girls from Ages 12 to 15 yr. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2020; 52 (09) 1940-1947
• 33 Ruf L, Altmann S, Kloss C, Härtel S. Normative Reference Centiles for Sprint Performance in High-Level Youth Soccer Players: The Need to Consider Biological Maturity. Pediatr Exerc Sci. 2024; 36 (04) 192-200
• 34 Hill M, Scott S, Malina RM, McGee D, Cumming SP. Relative age and maturation selection biases in academy football. J Sports Sci 2020; 38 (11/12) 1359-1367
• 35 Williams AM, Ford PR, Drust B. Talent identification and development in soccer since the millennium. J Sports Sci 2020; 38 (11/12) 1199-1210
• 36 Sanders JO, Qiu X, Lu X. et al. The Uniform Pattern of Growth and Skeletal Maturation during the Human Adolescent Growth Spurt. Sci Rep 2017; 7 (01) 16705