Football Performance and Cognitive Functions: Analyzing the Causal Relationships Using Fuzzy DEMATEL

The primary purpose of this study is to investigate and display causal relationships among football components based on cognitive function. Football is one of the most visited sports and has undergone significant changes with the improvement of science and technology. The impact of cognitive science, one of the topics based on today's technology, on football is essential to maintain its dynamics and update its methods and data. After reviewing articles and extracting indicators, this study designed a conceptual framework in five sections: Technical quality, Psychological issues, Injury, Cognitive Talent identification, and Near future. Then, using the fuzzy DEMATEL method, the effect of each factor and its position were determined. Findings show that building sports cognitive talents, cultivating cognitive sports talents, Player knowledge and skills, and establishing a professional sports lifestyle from an early age are closely related and are considered the most critical cognitive factors of the football dimensions.