Highlights • Virtual reality promotes greater improvements than video on visual search behavior. • Virtual reality promotes greater improvements than video on decision-making. • Virtual reality promotes greater improvements than video on inhibitory control. Background: The literature has shown the positive effect of virtual reality (VR) in percepto-cognitive skills. However, the literature lacks findings about at what extent VR would be better than video. Purpose: This study aimed to analyze the chronic effect of VR and video-stimulation screen training on passing decision-making, visual search behavior, and inhibitory control performance in young soccer athletes. Method: A total of 26 young soccer players underwent an 8-week training protocol after being randomly assigned to the VR (n = 13) or video-screen (VID, n = 13) group. Passing decision-making, visual search behavior, and inhibitory control performance were measured before and after both interventions. Results: A group x time interaction was found for decision-making performance (p < 0.01) and visual search behavior (p < 0.01). Both groups improved both decision-making performance (p < 0.01) and visual search behavior (p < 0.01); however, greater improvements were verified in VR (p < 0.01). Both VR and VID improved inhibitory control (p < 0.01), but no group interaction effect was observed (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Our results suggest that VR leads to greater improvements in decision-making and visual search behavior in young soccer athletes than VID.
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