The Contribution of Passing Skills and IQ to the Success of Constructive Build-Up by U-16 Players

This study examined the contributions of passing skill and intelligence quotient (IQ) to successful constructive build-up play among U-16 soccer players at SSB Galasiswa. Constructive build-up was operationally defined as the organized development of an attack from the defensive line toward midfield and the attacking line through ball retention, passing accuracy, decision-making, ball control, and off-the-ball movement. A quantitative correlational design was used with a saturated sample of 25 U-16 players. Data were obtained through a passing test, the Culture Fair Intelligence Test (CFIT), and a performance assessment during a 5-a-side small-sided game. Simple and multiple correlations were analyzed. Passing was positively correlated with constructive build-up success (r = .716, R² = .512, p < .001), and IQ also showed a positive correlation (r = .507, R² = .257, p = .010). Simultaneously, passing and IQ were associated with build-up success (R = .756, R² = .572, F(2, 22) = 14.70, p < .001). Passing was the stronger contributor, while IQ provided an additional contribution related to information processing and decision-making during build-up play.