By identifying talented players using traits that are stronger predictors of success than age alone, one could help diminish the relative age effect on development programs. We used assessments of individual technical skill to determine whether they were better predictors of ability in match-relevant soccer games (3v1) than age alone. We quantified the dribbling speed, passing performance, kicking accuracy, slalom dribbling, and sprinting speed of 35 players (7-13 years) from an elite Brazilian football academy. We also assessed their ability to maintain possession in 3v1 small-sided possession game (N = 120 games; N = 7-20 games per player). Passing ability (PCP1) was the only significant individual predictor of a player's number of passes (t = 4.07; P < .001) and their percentage passing success (t = 3.43; P < .001) in the 3v1 games. Age-corrected residuals of PCP1 were also highly positively correlated with age-corrected residuals of average passes (N = 34; r = .74; P < .0001) and percentage passing success (N = 34; r = .73; P < .0001) in the games. Our results show that a player's passing ability was a better indicator of their ability to maintain possession in small-sided games than age.
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