Growth and Maturity Status of Female Soccer Players: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Reported mean ages, heights and weights of female soccer players aged <19 years in 161 studies spanning the years 1992–2020 were extracted from the literature or calculated from data available to the authors; 35 studies spanning the years 1981–2020 also included an indicator of biological maturation. Heights and weights were plotted relative to U.S. reference data. Preece–Baines Model 1 was fitted to moving averages to estimate ages at peak velocity. Maturity indicators included skeletal age, pubertal status, age at menarche, percentage of predicted adult height and predicted maturity offset. Heights and weights showed negligible secular variation across the time interval. Heights were slightly above or approximated the reference medians through 14 years old and then varied between the medians and 75th percentiles through 18 years old. Weights were above the reference medians from 9 to 18 years old. Mean ages at menarche ranged from 12.7 to 13.0 years. The trend in heights and weights suggested the persistence and/or selection of taller and heavier players during adolescence, while estimated age at peak height velocity (PHV) and ages at menarche were within the range of mean ages in European and North American samples. Data for skeletal and sexual maturity status were limited; predicted maturity offset increased linearly with mean ages and heights at prediction.