Table 2. Characteristics of included studies (n = 29). Data extracted from included RCTs.
| Study (Year) |
n |
Age |
Sex |
Intervention |
Tier |
Duration |
Sessions |
| Barra-Moura
(2024) |
21 |
15.3 ±
1.1 |
M/F |
CBT vs
TST |
Tier 2 |
6weeks |
3 |
| Dhull
(2025) |
30 |
22.9 ±
1.5 |
M |
CBT vs
TST |
Tier 3 |
4weeks |
2 |
| Gallego-Sendarrubias
(2021) |
24 |
25.5 ±
4.2 |
M |
CBT vs
STG |
Tier 3 |
2weeks |
2 |
| Gómez
(2023) |
21 |
21.2 ±
3.0 |
M |
CBT vs
HIIT |
Tier 3 |
4weeks |
2 |
| Liu
(2024) |
51 |
16.3 ±
0.6 |
M |
PT vs CBT |
Tier 2 |
8weeks |
4 |
| Nonnato
(2022) |
16 |
23.0 ±
4.0 |
F |
PT vs TST |
Tier 3 |
12weeks |
4 |
| Quan
(2024) |
21 |
17.7 ±
1.7 |
M |
CBT vs
TST |
Tier 2 |
4weeks |
2 |
| Sagelv
(2020) |
38 |
23.2 ±
2.6 |
M |
FT vs STG |
Tier 3 |
6weeks |
2 |
| Sammoud
(2024) |
27 |
12.3 ±
0.5 |
M |
PT vs TST |
Tier 2 |
8weeks |
2 |
| Yang
(2025) |
45 |
15.7 ±
0.5 |
F |
PT vs TST |
Tier 2 |
6weeks |
2 |
| Zhu
(2025) |
46 |
16.5 ±
0.5 |
M |
PT vs TST |
Tier 2 |
6weeks |
2 |
| Brahim
(2025) |
32 |
19.1 ±
0.7 |
M |
FT vs STG |
Tier 3 |
8weeks |
2 |
| Sedano
Campo (2009) |
20 |
22.9 ±
2.7 |
F |
PT vs STG |
Tier 3 |
12weeks |
3 |
| Fischetti
(2019) |
28 |
26.6 ±
6.1 |
F |
PT vs TST |
Tier 3 |
12weeks |
3 |
| Maciejczyk
(2021) |
15 |
19.6 ±
2.4 |
F |
STG vs
TST |
Tier 3 |
4weeks |
2 |
| Ozbar
(2014) |
18 |
18.2 ±
2.3 |
F |
PT vs TST |
Tier 2 |
8weeks |
1~3 |
| Sperlich
(2011) |
17 |
13.5 ±
0.4 |
M |
HIIT vs
TST |
Tier 3 |
5weeks |
3~4 |
| Ferrari
Bravo (2008) |
26 |
21.1 ±
5.1 |
M |
HIIT vs
TST |
Tier 3 |
7weeks |
2 |
| Mujika
(2009) |
20 |
18.3 ±
0.6 |
M |
HIIT vs
STG |
Tier 3 |
7weeks |
1 |
| Tønnessen
(2011) |
20 |
16.4 ±
0.9 |
M |
HIIT vs
TST |
Tier 3 |
10weeks |
1 |
| Pecci
(2023) |
20 |
20.5 ±
2.6 |
F |
PT vs TST |
Tier 3 |
6weeks |
2 |
| Sanchez-Sanchez
(2019) |
22 |
22.5 ±
2.2 |
M |
HIIT vs
FT |
Tier 2 |
5weeks |
2 |
| Buchheit
(2010) |
15 |
14.5 ±
0.5 |
M |
HIIT vs
PT |
Tier 3 |
10weeks |
1 |
| Los
Arcos (2015) |
15 |
15.5 ±
0.6 |
M |
HIIT vs
TST |
Tier 2 |
6weeks |
2 |
| Hammami
(2019) |
40 |
15.9 ±
0.3 |
M |
CBT vs
PT |
Tier 2 |
8weeks |
4~5 |
| McKinlay
(2018) |
41 |
12.5 ±
0.6 |
M |
STG vs
PT |
Tier 2 |
8weeks |
3 |
| Vera-Assaoka
(2020) |
76 |
13.0 ±
1.5 |
M |
PT vs TST |
Tier 2 |
7weeks |
2 |
| de
Hoyo (2015) |
33 |
17.5 ±
1.0 |
M |
FT vs TST |
Tier 3 |
10weeks |
1~2 |
| Coratella
(2019) |
40 |
23.0 ±
4.0 |
M |
FT vs STG |
Tier 3 |
8weeks |
1 |
Note: Tier classification followed the Participant Classification Framework Tier 1 = recreationally active, Tier 2 = trained/developmental, Tier 3 = highly trained/national level. Youth players were defined as ≤18 years, whereas adult players were defined as >18 years. TST: Traditional soccer training, FT: Flywheel Resistance Training, STG: Traditional Strength Training, PT, Plyometric Training, CBT, Combined Training, SSG: Small-Sided Games Training, RST: Repeated Sprint Training, HIIT: High-Intensity Interval Training. The intervention column presents the direct comparison evaluated in each study. Duration = intervention period in weeks; Frequency = number of training sessions per week.
