Influence of attentional instructions on football juggling performance in children

Abstract

Success in football requires skilled control of the ball. Juggling is a fundamental skill that improves leg-eye coordination. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of adopting an external, internal, and neutral focus of attention while football juggling is performed. Twenty-two young male football players (age 10.6 ± 0.5 years) were asked to perform juggling with their dominant foot. Each participant completed three trials under the following conditions: under an external focus (the ball), under an internal focus (foot), and a control (no attentional instruction). Three sessions were conducted in a limited zone (3×3 meters), and three sessions were conducted in an unlimited zone. The use of external and internal foci resulted in a greater number of touches compared with the control condition in the unlimited zone. In turn, only the external instruction produced advantages for juggling compared with the internal and control conditions. These results show that instructions to adopt external and internal foci promoted football-specific skills. When the findings are taken as a whole, it is clear that directing attention externally should be prioritized for motor learning and performance in children.