The effect of 12 times training of the FIFA 11+ on fundamental movements in football academy athletes aged 14-17 as an effort to prevent injury

This study aimed to examine the impact of the FIFA 11+ program, conducted over 12 training sessions, on improving fundamental movements in male football academy athletes aged 14-17. The research utilized a quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-tests. The sampling technique used was purposive sampling, involving 18 male players (age: 14.78±1.00; height: 1.59±7.27; weight: 46.64±7.95) divided into a control group (n=9) and an experimental group (n=9). The experimental group performed the FIFA 11+ program as part of their 20-minute warm-up, three times per week over 12 sessions. This program comprises 15 exercises divided into three sections. Fundamental movement abilities were assessed using the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) intstrument, and data were analyzed with a paired sample t-test and Cohen's D value to determine the effect size for each group. Results indicated no significant improvement in the control group following conventional warm-up exercises (p=0.050, Cohen's D=0.770). Conversely, the experimental group demonstrated a significant improvement with the FIFA 11+ intervention (p=0.001, Cohen's D=2.287). The effect size for the FIFA 11+ program was notably larger than for conventional warm-ups, which typically include running, stretching, and joint mobilization exercises. In conclusion, the study found that 12 sessions of the FIFA 11+ program effectively enhance fundamental movement skills in male football academy athletes aged 14-17.