E-book

E-book Tactical Principles (TacticUp)

The 2024 and 2025 editions of the Fiesta CONMEBOL Evolución marked a significant milestone in the development of South American football, both on and off the pitch. By bringing together teams from the ten Member Associations (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela), the sixth and seventh editions engaged 1,116 athletes across the Under-13 boys’, Under-14 girls’, and Under-16 girls’ categories, offering a unique platform for competitive integration and multicultural exchange.

More than merely a tournament, the Fiesta CONMEBOL Evolución has consolidated its position as a comprehensive training environment, in which sporting development is underpinned by a robust pedagogical and scientific framework, aligned with the objectives of CONMEBOL’s development programme.

In this context, the collaboration between CONMEBOL and the Centre of Research and Studies in Soccer (NUPEF) at the Federal University of Viçosa played a key role in generating concrete opportunities for development and qualification, particularly in fostering more intelligent and creative players on the pitch.

Through assessments conducted using TacticUP, all athletes were analysed in terms of the quality and speed of their game reading, enabling an objective measurement of decision-making and cognitive processing in representative game situations. This approach enabled the generation of robust data on the tactical intelligence of young players, raising the standard of youth development analysis across the continent and reinforcing the value of science applied to sporting performance.

Based on the results obtained, it was possible to develop detailed nationality-based profiles, opening the way for deeper interpretations of the different training models adopted by South American federations. This analysis provides coaches, technical staff, and managers with a clear understanding of predominant tactical competencies, as well as areas requiring further cognitive development.

Taken together, these findings provide South American football with a strategic, evidence-based tool to maximise its strengths and more effectively address its areas for improvement, ensuring that athlete development is guided by scientific principles.

To access the detailed results by country, please refer to the following link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1x1x4j40HTrdVVJtcllIB55CXCw3CKM20?usp=sharing