Evolution of Match Technical-Tactical Performance Indicators According to Age Category in Men's National Football Teams (World Cups 2003-2019)

Performance in football depends on different dynamic interactions between players that occur at technical, tactical, physical, psychological, or sociological levels. The objective of this study was to analyze the evolution of match technical-tactical performance indicators according to age category in men's national football teams (U-17, U-20 and senior). A non-experimental retrospective observational design was used. Variables studied were ball possession, goal chances, shots off target, shots on target, corner kicks, effectiveness; goals, offsides, fouls committed, yellow cards, red cards, and second yellow cards. Data were drawn from 917 matches (195 senior, 369 U-20, and 353 U-17) played by teams from 97 nations. For the study of the differences between winners and losers, a T-test and a discriminant analysis were performed. To analyze the change between the different tournaments, a linear regression and its slope were used. Goal chances, shots on target, and effectiveness are the variables that best discriminated match winners. As players' ages increased, their effectiveness increased, there was a decrease in their shots and goal chances, and game actions were more balanced. The evolution of technical-tactical performance indicators between 2003-2009 and 2010-2019 showed a decrease in fouls committed and yellow cards for all categories. In general, the results show an evolution in the game towards strategies that seek to generate more effective situations with a greater chance of scoring. Data can serve as references to understand players' and teams' evolution and factors that correlate with winning (chances, shots on target, and effectiveness).