Hormonal status, maturation, anthropometry and motor performance in young football players: the advantage of early maturation.

This study investigates differences in hormonal status, anthropometric measurements, technical skills, and motor performance among young football players across different stages of biological maturation. A total of 261 male players aged 11 to 14 from Bosnia and Herzegovina were divided into two competitive age groups: younger (11-12 years, 12.20 ± 0.57 years) and older (13-14 years, 14.23 ± 0.52 years). Skeletal age was determined using the Greulich-Pyle method. The players were evaluated for chronological age, skeletal age, age peak height velocity, body composition, hormonal levels (DHEA-S and IGF-1), sprint performance, agility, jumping ability, soccer-specific technical skills, and endurance capacity. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics, including descriptive statistics, ANOVA, t-tests, and effect size (η2), with p < 0.05. In the younger group (11-12 years), significant differences were found in skeletal age, APHV, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage, and hormonal levels (DHEA-S, IGF-1). However, no significant differences were observed in motor performance. In contrast, the older group (13-14 years) demonstrated significant maturation-related differences, including sprint performance, agility, and jump tests. Early maturation provides a significant advantage in anthropometric and motor performance, particularly among older players, and should be considered in talent identification and selection processes.