Difference in Jump Height and Jump Length in Youth Soccer Players Selected or Not Selected for the National Team

Background: With the aim of professional status and sporting success, selection processes and talent identification in youth players are common in football clubs and national teams. Football requiring different types of abilities, standing out in certain abilities can be important in the selection process for national teams. Physical abilities including maximal power can differ between players in the same age group due to growth and maturation and might therefore be important factors in the selection process. Previous studies have mentioned maximal power as one of many performance indicators for football performance. However, few studies have investigated its importance regarding youth players selected or not selected for the national team. Aim: The study was designed to measure and compare jump height and jump length in three different jump tests between youth soccer players selected or not selected for the national team. Methods: Twenty-two (n=22) players, eleven national players and eleven non-national players performed three different jump tests. The players were 17±2 years old from the club Halmstads BK, Halmstad. The study was an observational crosssectional study that was designed to measure and compare jump height and jump length in three different jump tests between youth soccer players selected or not selected for the national team. The jump tests that were used in the present study was Countermovement Jump (CMJ), Abalakov Jump (AJ) and Standing Long Jump (SLJ). Mean scores for the tests in both groups were analyzed and compared and the criterion level for significance was set to p ≤ 0.05. Results: The results showed a significant difference between the groups regarding jump height in CMJ (p=0.013) and in AJ (p=0.010). No significant difference was found regarding jump length in SLJ (p=0.084). Conclusion: The findings of this study showed a significant difference in Countermovement Jump (CMJ) and Abalakov Jump (AJ) between national players (NP) and non-national players (NNP). The study found no significant difference between the groups in Standing Long Jump (SLJ). The results indicate the use of maximal power as a performance indicator and part of the selection of players to national teams. Anthropometric data (age, weight and height) was similar between the groups, therefore, other maturation and growth factors together with biological age are aspects that might have influenced the results. Future studies are suggested to investigate maturation status and its importance for maximal power in national players and non-national players.