The psychological characteristics of football players under the age of 17 in Indonesia

Abstract

Football is the most popular sport in Indonesia and involves thousands of players and millions of spectators. As the sport continues to grow, it demands an accelerated development of players and adjustments to their needs. However, the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) has created a curriculum that only focuses on the physical, tactical, and technical aspects, ignoring the psychological aspect. This study aimed to investigate the role of psychology in the development of football players in Indonesia, focusing on the weaknesses of the current curriculum. The study was concentrated on the development and psychological characteristics that soccer players under 17 years of age require to maintain their performance into adulthood. The study used a grounded theory approach and semi-structured open questions in data collection. The sample included youth player-coaches with a minimum of 5 years of experience, as well as football players under the age of 17. These players typically begin practicing football at the age of 6 and continue until they reach 17 years old in Indonesia. The results of this study can be a reference for the PSSI and football coaches in Indonesia to create a comprehensive training program that includes physical, technical, tactical, and psychological aspects, enabling them to develop successful football players in the future.