Effects of the FIFA 11 + neuromuscular warm-up program on Move2Perform injury risk classification in youth amateur soccer players: a randomized controlled trial

Lower extremity injuries are a major concern in youth soccer, where multifactorial risk factors interact and isolated screening tools have demonstrated limited predictive accuracy. Neuromuscular warm-up programs such as the FIFA 11 + have shown efficacy in reducing injury incidence, yet limited evidence exists on their effect when combined with multifactorial risk-classification frameworks in amateur youth populations. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of an eight-week FIFA 11 + neuromuscular warm-up program on injury risk profiles-classified by the Move2Perform algorithm-and on functional performance and injury incidence in youth amateur male soccer players. In this parallel-group, single-blinded randomized controlled trial, 44 male amateur soccer players aged 15–18 years competing in a regional amateur league were randomly allocated, using computer-generated block randomization, to an experimental group ( n = 22) or a control group ( n = 22). Injury risk was classified using the Move2Perform algorithm, which integrates demographic data, injury history, the Functional Movement Screen (FMS), and the Lower Quarter Y-Balance Test (YBT-LQ). Additional outcomes included jump performance and isometric quadriceps and hamstring strength. The experimental group performed the FIFA 11 + program three times per week for eight weeks under the supervision of a certified physiotherapist, while the control group continued their routine warm-up. Time-loss injuries were recorded prospectively during the eight-week period. A mixed-design ANOVA was used to assess Group × Time interactions. The experimental group showed significant improvements in YBT-LQ composite scores, FMS total scores, jump test performance, and quadriceps strength ( p < 0.05), with significant Group × Time interactions favoring the FIFA 11 + group. Move2Perform risk classification shifted favorably in the experimental group: athletes initially categorized as Moderate Risk showed the most pronounced improvement, transitioning to Slight Risk, and three athletes initially classified as Substantial Risk moved to the Slight Risk category (descriptively notable, but not reaching statistical significance for this subgroup). The experimental group experienced significantly fewer time-loss injuries ( n = 2) than the control group ( n = 8) over the eight-week period ( p = 0.009), with significantly lower incidences of ankle sprains ( p = 0.038) and hamstring strains ( p = 0.041). Athletes classified as high risk by the Move2Perform algorithm sustained approximately a threefold increase in injury occurrence compared with their lower-risk counterparts. An eight-week, supervised FIFA 11 + neuromuscular warm-up program produced favorable shifts in Move2Perform injury risk classification and reduced time-loss injury incidence in youth amateur soccer players. Combining multifactorial injury risk classification with structured neuromuscular warm-up appears to be a practical and effective strategy for reducing lower extremity injury risk in this population, supporting the integration of preseason group-based prevention with individualized corrective approaches. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT07713004. Registered on 17 July 2026. Retrospectively registered.