Largest Study on Growth and Maturation in Elite Soccer Highlights Equity for Early and Late Developers

The University of Bath, in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh, has launched the most comprehensive research into growth and maturation within elite soccer, offering valuable insights for talent development. This extensive study, commissioned by the Scottish Football Association and completed between January and April 2024, examined over 1,000 academy players from the Club Academy Scotland system, making it the largest of its kind focusing on both relative age effects and biological maturation.

Researchers collected data on players' birth dates, current height and weight, as well as parental heights to model growth trajectories and biological maturity. The results reveal a significant bias favoring early-developing players, a trend that aligns with global observations and raises important questions about current selection and training practices in youth sports.

Professor Sean Cumming from the University of Bath emphasized the implications, stating that many academies tend to select players who have matured earlier, which can overlook late bloomers. To address this, the Scottish FA has introduced a pilot policy allowing clubs to group players based on biological age rather than chronological age, promoting a more equitable environment for development.

The research findings were presented at the Growth and Maturation Workshop held at Hampden Park, where coaches and staff learned about the importance of considering biological maturity in talent pathways. The study highlighted notable disparities: only about 80% of boys were developmentally aligned with their calendar age, with some differences ranging up to six years in biological age. Such discrepancies can significantly influence talent perception and coaching decisions.

Highlighting role models like Andy Robertson, Scott McTominay, and Kevin De Bruyne, the study underscores the untapped potential of late developers, who often comprise about 15% of the youth population but are underrepresented in academy systems. Based on these insights, the Scottish FA has adjusted its policies, increasing flexibility for age groupings and offering exemptions based on biological maturity, fostering longer-term and personalized player development.

The upcoming phase of the project will explore how growth impacts injury risk, with selected clubs monitoring injury rates alongside growth data. This will inform injury prevention strategies tailored to players experiencing rapid growth, drawing from successful interventions such as the AFC Bournemouth pilot that achieved significant reductions in injury rates.

Professor Cumming highlighted that supporting late-developing players and reducing injury risks aligns with the broader goal of creating fairer, more sustainable talent pathways in soccer, ultimately benefiting player well-being and performance.

This impactful research is set to influence national strategies and development models, ensuring that youth players receive appropriate support regardless of their growth trajectory.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-08-largest-growth-maturation-elite-soccer.html