Physical Characteristics and the Talent Identification and Development Processes in Male Youth Soccer: A Narrative Review

Talent identification and development in male youth soccer are complex and multidimensional processes. The English Football Association 4 Corner Model is often adopted by academies to support coaches and practitioners to implement a multidisciplinary approach to their talent identification and development framework. This holistic approach is characterized by technical/tactical, psychological, social, and physical attributes, which are central to academy recruitment and individual long-term athlete development. The aim of this narrative review is to provide a critical synthesis of the physical characteristics within this model, which facilitate talent identification and development, namely physical performance, growth and maturation, and the relative age effect.