The purpose of this study was (i) to compare two groups (players with more vs. less match play time) regarding body composition, vertical and horizontal jumping performance, and aerobic capacity; and (ii) to test the relationships between physical fitness and play time. This study followed a case-control design in which the outcome was playtime, and the causal attribute was physical fitness. Sixty-six youth male soccer players from under-16 (n = 21), under-17 (n = 19), under-18 (n = 12), and under-19 (n = 14) age groups were monitored for match play time during five months of observation. Inclusion criteria consisted of (1) no absence of more than a week due to injury or other conditions during the five months of observation and (2) physical assessments having been done simultaneously with those of the other players (at the beginning of the season). The exclusion criteria were (1) not participating in one week or more of training sessions, and (2) not participating in the physical fitness assessments. At the beginning of the season, players were assessed for anthropometry (height, body mass, skinfolds), countermovement jump, triple hop bilateral and unilateral jump, and aerobic capacity using the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test, level 2 (YYIRT). The group that played more time had significantly greater YYIRT results (+28.2%; p = 0.009; Cohen’s d = 0.664). No other significant differences were found between those who played more and fewer minutes. Moderate and significant linear positive correlations were found between YYIRT and play time in the under-19 group (r = 0.423; p = 0.031) and overall (r = 0.401; p < 0.001). In the case of the under-17 group, moderate and significant linear positive correlations were found between TSA and play time (r = 0.473; p = 0.041). This suggests that aerobic and anaerobic capacity is related to play time while jumping performance and fat mass seem not to play an essential role in play time.
Keywords: athletic performance; football; physical fitness; youth sports.