Table 2.
Characteristics of studies included in the systematic review
| Study details | Participants | Methodological details | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study | Design | Quality check | Sport | Country (ISO code) | Sex | N | Age (years) | Method typea | Method set-upb | Assessed sport-specific technical skills | Findings |
| Abdullah et al. [50] | CS | Moderate | Soccer | MYS | m | 184 | 15.2 ± 2 | OR | exp. | Slalom dribbling, passing, shooting | Technical skills discriminate players from different performance levels |
| Aquino et al. [51] | CS | High | Soccer | BRA | ? | 66 | 16.7 ± 0.4 | OR | exp. | Shooting, ball control, slalom dribbling | Technical skills discriminate selected from unselected players |
| Archer et al. [44] | CS | High | Soccer | GBR | m | 22 | 4.1 ± 0.7 | OR | exp. | Straight dribbling, slalom dribbling | Technical skills discriminate players from different performance levels |
| Baiget et al. [52] | CS | High | Tennis | SPA | m | 38 | 18.2 ± 1.3 | OR | exp. | Stroking | Technical skills discriminate players from different performance levels |
| Bekris et al. [53] | CS | High | Soccer | GRC | ? | 48 | 16.7 ± 0.4 | OR | exp. | Straight dribbling, slalom dribbling + dual task | Technical skills discriminate players from different performance levels |
| Bennett et al. [54] | CS | High | Soccer | AUS | m | 55 | 13.3 ± 1.2 | OR | comp. | Attempted/completed dribbles, passes, touches, shots, and Total actions | Technical skills discriminate players from different performance levels |
| Cripps et al. [55] | CS | Moderate | Australian Football | AUS | ? | 50 | 15.6 ± 0.4 | OR | exp. | Coach evaluation of handballing and kicking | Technical skills discriminate non- vs. talent-identified players |
| Dardouri et al. [56] | CS | High | Soccer | TUN | m | 92 | 14.2 ± 0.6 | OR | exp. | Slalom dribbling, skill index (slalom dribbling/slalom sprinting without ball) | Technical skills discriminate players from different performance levels |
| Deprez et al. [57] | LT | High | Soccer | BEL | m | 388 | U10–U17 | OR | exp. | UGent dribbling test, ball control | Technical skills discriminate dropouts from club players in specific age groups |
| D’Ercole et al. [58] | CS | Moderate | Water Polo | ITA | m | 18 | 17.4 ± 0.47 | OR | exp. | Straight swimming, straight dribbling, slalom dribbling, dual task condition | Technical skills discriminate players from different performance levels |
| di Cagno et al. [59] | CS | High | Rhythmic Gymnastics | ITA | f | 25 | 14.7 ± 2.2 | OR | exp. | Three jumping tests | Technical skills did not discriminate players from different performance levels |
| di Cagno et al. [60] | CS | High | Rhythmic Gymnastics | ITA | f | 100 | 13.3 ± 0.5 | TR | exp. | Four jumping tests | Technical skills are significantly correlated with rankings |
| Elferink-Gemser et al. [26] | LT | High | Field Hockey | NLD | both | 63 m, 63 f | U12–U14 | OR | exp. | Shuttle and slalom dribbling | Technical skills discriminate players from different performance levels |
| Elferink-Gemser et al. [61] | CS | High | Field Hockey | NLD | both | 63 m, 63 f | 13.9 ± 1.3 | OR | exp. | Shuttle dribbling, slalom dribbling | Technical skills discriminate players from different performance levels |
| Falk et al. [27] | LT | High | Water Polo | ISR | m | 24 | 12–16 | OR | exp. | Swimming, dribbling, throwing | Technical skills discriminate selected from unselected players |
| Fenner et al. [62] | CS | High | Soccer | GBR | ? | 16 | 10.6 ± 0.3 | TR | exp. | Coach evaluation for SSGs | Technical skills correlate with winning in SSGs |
| Figueiredo et al. [63] | CS | High | Soccer | PRT | m | 159 | 11.82 ± 0.54 | OR | exp. | Ball control, dribbling, shooting, passing | Technical skills discriminate players from different performance levels |
| French et al. [45] | CS | Moderate | Baseball | USA | both | 130 m, 2 f | 7–10 | OR | both | Throwing, batting, catching | Technical skills discriminate players from different performance levels |
| Gabbett & Georgieff [64] | CS | High | Volleyball | AUS | both | 14 m, 16 f | 15.5 ± 1 | TR | exp. | Spiking, passing, setting, serving | Technical skills discriminate players from different performance levels |
| Gabbett et al. [65] | CS | Moderate | Volleyball | AUS | ? | 28 | 15.5 ± 1 | both | exp. | Spiking, passing, setting, serving | Technical skills discriminate selected from unselected players |
| Guimarães et al. [66] | CS | High | Basketball | PRT | m | 150 | 13.3 ± 0.7 | OR | exp. | Shooting, passing, dribbling, defensive movement | Technical skills discriminate selected from unselected players |
| Hendry et al. [67] | LT | High | Soccer | GBR | m | 102 | 13–20 | TR | exp. | Passing, dribbling, shooting or kicking | Technical skills discriminate different performance levels |
| Höner et al. [46] | CS | High | Soccer | GER | m | 68,158 | U12–U15 | both | exp. | Slalom dribbling, ball control, passing, shooting | Technical skills discriminate different performance levels |
| Höner & Votteler [48] | LT | High | Soccer | GER | m | 22,843 | 11.4 ± 0.3 | both | exp. | Slalom dribbling, ball control/passing, shooting | Technical skills discriminate different performance levels |
| Höner et al. [47] | LT | High | Soccer | GER | ? | 14,178 | U12–U15 | both | exp. | Slalom dribbling, ball control/passing, shooting | Technical skills discriminate different performance levels |
| Höner et al. [68] | LT | High | Soccer | GER | f | 499 | 11.4 ± 0.3 | both | exp. | Slalom dribbling, ball control/passing, shooting | Technical skills discriminate different performance levels |
| Huijgen et al. [43] | Quasi-LT | High | Soccer | NLD | ? | 270 | U12–U19 | OR | exp. | Loughborough Soccer Passing Test | Technical skills discriminate selected from unselected players |
| Huijgen et al. [28] | CS | High | Soccer | NLD | ? | 113 | 17.1 ± 0.7 | OR | exp. | Shuttle dribbling, slalom dribbling | Technical skills discriminate selected from unselected players |
| Huijgen et al. [69] | LT | High | Soccer | NLD | ? | 131 | U12–U19 | OR | exp. | Shuttle Dribble Test | Technical skills discriminate different performance levels |
| Keller et al. [70] | CS | High | Soccer | AUS | m | 62 | 17 ± 0.61 | OR | exp. | Loughborough Soccer Passing Test, long passing test, shooting, slalom dribbling | Technical skills discriminate different performance levels |
| Kolman et al. [71] | CS | High | Tennis | NLD | m | 32 | 13.4 ± 0.5 | OR | exp. | Dutch Technical-Tactical Tennis Test | Technical skills discriminate different performance levels |
| Le Moal et al. [72] | CS | Moderate | Soccer | FRA | m | 87 | 15.1 ± 0.5 | OR | exp. | Loughborough Soccer Passing Test | Technical skills discriminate players from different performance levels |
| Leyhr et al. [49] | LT | High | Soccer | GER | m | 1134 | U12–U15 | OR | exp. | Slalom dribbling, ball control, shooting | Technical skills discriminate players from different performance levels |
| Lidor et al. [29] | LT | High | Handball | ISR | both | 279 m, 126 f | 12–14 | OR | exp. | Slalom dribbling | Technical skills discriminate selected from unselected players |
| Lidor et al. [73] | LT | High | Volleyball | ISR | m | 15 | 16–18 | OR | exp. | Service accuracy | Technical skills did not discriminate players from different performance levels |
| Maszczyk et al. [74] | CS | High | Swimming | POL | ? | 189 | 12 ± 0.5 | OR | comp. | Swimming technique analysis | Technical skills help with performance prediction |
| Naisidou et al. [75] | CS | High | Handball | GRE | f | 91 | 13 ± 0.5 | OR | exp. | Ball throwing velocity, slalom dribbling, triangle defense | Technical skills discriminate players from different performance levels |
| Rađa et al. [76] | CS | High | Soccer | CRO | m | 119 | 16.2 ± 1.3 | OR | exp. | Shooting | Technical skills discriminate players from different performance levels |
| Re et al. [77] | CS | High | Soccer | BRA | m | 60 | 14 ± 0.93 | both | both | Kicking ball speed, passing, in-game technical action | Technical skills did not discriminate starting from non-starting players |
| Re et al. [78] | CS | Moderate | Soccer | BRA | m | 49 | 16.9 ± 0.5 | both | exp. | Kinematic analysis of kicking, slalom dribbling | Technical skills discriminate players from different performance levels |
| Rebelo et al. [79] | CS | High | Soccer | PRT | m | 180 | 18.1 ± 0.6 | OR | exp. | UGent dribbling test, ball control | Technical skills discriminate players from different performance levels |
| Rebelo-Gonçalves et al. [80] | CS | Moderate | Soccer | PTR | m | 40 | 14.5 ± 1.6 | OR | exp. | Sprint-Keeper test (S-Keeper), Lateral Shuffle-Keeper test (LS-Keeper) | Technical skills discriminate players from different performance levels |
| Reilly et al. [81] | CS | Moderate | Soccer | GBR | m | 31 | 16.4 | OR | exp. | Shooting, slalom dribbling | Technical skills discriminate players from different performance levels |
| Rikberg & Raudsepp [82] | CS | High | Volleyball | EST | m | 66 | 16.7 ± 0.7 | both | exp. | Spiking, passing, setting, serving | Technical skills discriminate selected from unselected players |
| Saavedra et al. [83] | CS | High | Swimming | ESP | both | 66 m, 67 f | 12.6 ± 0.6 | both | comp. | Swimming technique analysis | Technical skills discriminate players from different performance levels |
| Saward et al. [84] | LT | High | Soccer | GBR | m | 126 | U12–U18 | OR | comp. | Frequencies of successful passes, on-target shots, dribbles, crosses, clearances, tackles/blocks/interceptions | Technical skills discriminate selected from unselected players |
| Silva et al. [85] | CS | High | Swimming | POR | both | 65 m, 73 f | 14.5 ± 0.4 | TR | comp. | Semi qualitative swimming technical evaluation | Technical skills can help with performance prediction |
| Tangalos et al. [86] | CS | High | Australian Football | AUS | m | 156 | 10–15 | TR | exp. | Kicking, marking, handballing | Technical skills correlate with match performance. |
| Tribolet et al. [87] | CS | High | Australian Football | AUS | m | 277 | U13–U15 | TR | exp. | Kicking, marking, handballing | Technical skills discriminate selected from unselected players |
| Vaeyens et al. [88] | CS | High | Soccer | BEL | ? | 232 | U13–U16 | OR | exp. | Slalom dribbling, passing, shooting, juggling | Technical skills discriminate players from different performance levels |
| Waldron & Murphy [89] | CS | Moderate | Soccer | GBR | ? | 31 | 14.1 ± 0.3 | OR | both | Frequency of un-/successful passes, ball retentions and tackles; slalom dribbling, passing | Technical skills discriminate players from different performance levels |
| Waldron et al. [90] | CS | High | Rugby | GBR | ? | 57 | U15–U17 | OR | comp. | Frequency of un-/successful actions: carries, tackles | Technical skills did not discriminate players from different performance levels |
| Wilson et al. [91] | CS | High | Soccer | BRA | m | 21 | 17.2 ± 1.1 | both | exp. | Turn dribbling, coach rankings of defense skills in 1 vs. 1 competition | Technical skills help to detect defensively talented players |
| Woods et al. [92] | CS | High | Australian Football | AUS | ? | 55 | U18 | OR | comp. | Total disposals, marks, contested possessions, inside and rebound 50s | Technical skills are associated with better draft position |
| Woods et al. [93] | CS | High | Australian Football | AUS | ? | 84 | 17.5 ± 0.45 | OR | exp. | Kicking, handballing | Technical skills discriminate selected from unselected players |
| Woods et al. [94] | CS | High | Australian Football | AUS | ? | 65 | 17.8 ± 0.5 | OR | comp. | Total disposals, marks, contested possessions, inside and rebound 50s | Technical skills are associated with better draft position |
| Woods et al. [95] | CS | High | Australian Football | AUS | ? | 50 | 17.6 ± 0.55 | OR | exp. | Kicking, handballing | Technical skills discriminate players from different performance levels |
| Zibung et al. [96] | LT | High | Soccer | CHE | m | 104 | U13–U16 | OR | exp. | Slalom dribbling, passing, juggling | Technical skills are associated with better selection, but can be compensated |
| Zuber et al. [97] | LT | High | Soccer | CHE | m | 119 | U13–U16 | OR | exp. | Slalom dribbling, ball control and passing, juggling | Technical skills are associated with better selection, but can be compensated |
CS cross-sectional study design, LT longitudinal study design, ? information not provided, m male, f female, U under, OR outcome-related, TR technique-related, exp. experimental, comp. competition, SSGs small-sided games
a‘Technique-related’ or ‘outcome-related’ for process or outcome focus, respectively
b‘Experimental’ or ‘competition’ for experiment or competition assessment of ecological validity, respectively