Analysis of the execution of core tactical principles and technical efficiency of primary school futsal players

Abstract The study aimed to analyze the core tactical offensive principles and technical efficiency of primary school futsal players. Thirty-three students from a school in Paraná participated in the study. The System of Tactical Assessment in Soccer (FUT-SAT) and the System of Notational Analysis in Small-sided Soccer Games were used for tactical-technical analysis. It was found that the tactical principle “offensive coverage" was most frequently executed by the primary school futsal players (p = 0.01), followed by "width and length" without ball (p < 0.01). Moderate and strong significant correlations were identified between the execution frequency of the core tactical principles “penetration”, “offensive coverage”, “width and length without ball”, “offensive unity” and efficiency in technical skills (from r = 0.43 to r = 0.82, p < 0.05). It is concluded that there is a model of playing near the game center in the presented age group, and that the efficiency of executing technical skills is associated with tactical behavior in game situation.