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Abstract

This study investigated the impact of a differential-training regimen on mental imagery and core technical skills among under-21 footballers in Baghdad, Iraq. Using a descriptive-experimental design, thirty youth-club players completed a six-week intervention consisting of three 90-minute sessions per week featuring varied, non-repetitive, game-representative tasks (passing in congestion, dribbling under pressure, finishing from multiple angles, and positional rotations). Outcomes included standardized tests of mental imagery and fundamental skills-ball control, passing, shooting, dribbling, and receiving-supplemented by a player questionnaire evaluating program clarity, variety, motivation, engagement, task difficulty, and perceived improvement. Paired-samples t-tests showed statistically significant pre- to post-intervention gains in mental imagery (imagery quality, anticipation, decision-making speed, cognitive flexibility) and in all fundamental skills, evidencing the efficacy of differential training for both cognitive and technical development. Questionnaire responses corroborated these findings, with high mean ratings across domains, indicating the program's appropriateness and strong acceptability to participants. We conclude that differential training meaningfully enhances cognitive readiness and technical execution in U-20 football, and offers a practical, competition-relevant method for accelerating decision-making and adaptability across varied match contexts. Accordingly, we recommend integrating differential training into routine curricula to strengthen fundamental skills and mental imagery.

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Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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