The Acute Effects of FIFA 11+ and Traditional Warm-up on Sprint and Change of Direction in Young Soccer Players

The aim of this research was to examine the acute effects of the FIFA 11+ warm-up protocol and traditional warm-up methods on sprint and change of direction (COD) ability in young soccer players. Nineteen volunteer young male soccer athletes possessing a minimum of two years of soccer background were enrolled in this research. The research was conducted using a randomized crossover design; the athletes performed both protocols at one-week intervals under standardized field conditions. While the FIFA 11+ protocol presented a three-stage structure comprising low-intensity running, core and strength exercises, and plyometric drills; the traditional warm-up consisted of light jogging, dynamic mobility, and static stretching exercises. Four minutes after the completion of the protocols, the participants performed 20-m sprint and Illinois agility tests (IAT). The findings revealed no statistically significant difference across the two warm-up conditions in terms of 20-m sprint time (p = 0.664, d = 0.101) and the IAT (p = 0.216, d = 0.294). Cohen’s d values (d < 0.3) indicated that the difference was of a small magnitude for both tests. In conclusion, a single session of the FIFA 11+ produced acute sprint and COD performance responses similar to those observed following a traditional warm-up protocol, suggesting no additional short-term performance benefit in youth soccer players.