Tidig specialisering inom ungdomsfotboll : En kartläggande litteraturöversikt av definitioner, konsekvenser och kunskapsluckor

Sammanfattning

Abstract Background: Early specialization in youth football is a debated topic within sport science, particularly regarding its association with performance development, injury risk, and psychosocial well-being. Aim: The aim of this scoping review was to map and analyze research on early specialization in youth football, focusing on definitions, identified consequences, and existing knowledge gaps. Method: The review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Literature searches were performed in PubMed, CINAHL, and SportDiscus, resulting in 30 included peer-reviewed studies with different designs. The Developmental Model of Sport Participation was used as a holistic framework for interpreting the findings. Results: The findings showed that early specialization lacks a consensus-based definition and is operationalized through varying indicators such as training volume, age of specialization, and sport-specific participation. Early specialization was not consistently associated with improved performance development but was linked to increased risk of overuse injuries and potential negative psychosocial consequences. Several studies indicated that diversified sports participation during childhood, followed by gradual specialization, may represent a more sustainable developmental pathway. Structural factors such as professionalization and early selection systems were also identified as influential. Conclusion: The findings suggest that early specialization in youth football does not appear to be consistently beneficial for long-term performance development and may instead increase the risk of overuse injuries and negative psychosocial outcomes. In contrast, diversified sports participation during childhood, followed by gradual specialization, appears to represent a more sustainable developmental pathway. Overall, this scoping review indicates that early specialization within youth football is a complex and context-dependent phenomenon influenced by both individual and structural factors.