Objectives:This study aimed to examine the effects of age on match-related physical and technical-tactical performance in elite soccer players using a longitudinal design. Methods: Data were collected from 154 players who competed in the Spanish first division (LaLiga) between the 2012-13 and 2019-20 seasons. A total of 14,092 individual match observations were analyzed using a computerized tracking system (TRACAB, Chyronhego, New York, NY). The players were classified into five positional roles: central defenders (n?=?37); external defenders (n=44); central midfielders (n=34); external midfielders (n=22); and forwards (n=17). Results: The main results showed that (a) soccer players decreased by an average of 0.56% their total distance covered for each year that they got older. Similarly, the number of high-intensity efforts and distance covered at high-intensity running decreased by 1.80% and 1.42% per year, respectively; (b) players significantly increased their pass accuracy by an average of 0.25% each year that they got older; (c) the detrimental effect of age on total distance and high-intensity running was greater for external defenders, external midfielders, and forwards; and (d) the positive effect of age on pass accuracy was greater for central defenders and central midfielders. Conclusions: Elite soccer players with long-term careers were unable to maintain their match-related physical performance as they got older. However, players can annually improve their technical-tactical skills with increasing age as a possible compensation mechanism against physical performance declines related to aging.
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