Effects of an Eight-Week Small-Sided Games Training Program on Aerobic Endurance and Passing Performance in Adolescent Soccer Players

Soccer requires players to combine physical fitness with technical skills throughout amatch. Small‐sided games (SSG) are modified soccer training sessions played with fewerplayers and reduced pitch dimensions. These training formats are widely used because theysimulate match situations while providing high physical and technical demands.The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to investigate whether an eight‐weekSSG training program improves aerobic endurance and passing performance in adolescentmale soccer players. Eighteen licensed youth soccer players were randomly assigned toeither an SSG training group or a control group. Both groups continued their regularsoccer training, while the SSG group additionally performed structured small‐sided gamesessions three times per week for eight weeks.Aerobic endurance was evaluated using the Yo‐Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (Yo‐YoIR1), and passing performance was assessed using the Loughborough Soccer Passing Test(LSPT). These measurements were obtained before and after the intervention.The primary objective of the study was to compare changes in aerobic endurance andpassing performance between the SSG and control groups. It was hypothesized thatparticipation in the structured SSG program would result in greater improvements in bothoutcomes compared with regular soccer training alone.The findings of this study are expected to provide evidence supporting the use ofstructured small‐sided games as an effective and time‐efficient training strategy forimproving both physical fitness and technical performance in adolescent soccer players.