The Effect of Relative Age on Competitive Performance: An Analysis of Regular Starters in the U-17 Elite Development Football League
Keywords:
Football,, Relative Age Effect, SuccessAbstract
The aim of this study is to examine the impact of relative age on both team selection rates and league performance in the 2024–2025 season of the Turkish Football Federation’s Elite U17 B Development League, focusing specifically on players who regularly start in the first eleven. The study was designed using a basic qualitative research model. Document analysis was employed as the data collection method, and the data were analyzed using the descriptive analysis approach based on theMiles and Huberman technique. The population of the study consists of players registered in the Elite Development Leagues, while the sample includes players from U17 Elite B League teams. According to the findings, 43% of the regular starters were born in the first quarter of the year (January–March). While the top three ranked teams demonstrated a more balanced distribution of birth dates, teams ranked in the bottom three showed a concentration of Q1 and Q3 births. Players born in Q4 were found to be the least represented across the league and more prevalent in the lowest-performing teams. These results suggest that relative age not only affects player selection but may also influence overall team performance.
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