ABSTRACT
Many soccer federations and professional clubs worldwide have established talent identification (TID) and talent promotion programmes (TPPs) at local, regional, and national levels. The aim of TPPs is to identify and select the most promising talents and promote their long-term performance development into adulthood. The general approach of TPPs implies two underlying premises: reliable TID at a young age is possible; and TPP resources and intervention measures applied to the participants at a young age positively influence their long-term adult performance. Participants of one academy reported positive scores on stress-recovery balance, need satisfaction, psychological and social well-being, and school-related quality of life, and they did not differ from recreational players. Academy players know they need a “back-up plan” implying future employment outside of soccer and are aware of the necessity of academic education. From an applied perspective, the evidence suggests postponing selection for TPPs to later ages and reduce opportunity costs of players, their well-being-related costs, and long-term risks.
