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Anthropometric and Physical Ability in Youth Soccer Players in Japan, Korea, China, and Germany [Received December 4, 2012; Accepted March 24, 2015] We compared the physical and motor ability of youth soccer players in Japan, Korea, China, and Germany. Then, we clarified the physical characteristics of young Japanese players. We examined the physique, level of physical fitness, and motor ability of top-level young players from these countries using the following relatively common field test items in accordance with the Japan Football Association (JFA) Physical Measurement Guidelines (2006): body height, body weight, percent body fat, 10-m sprint, 30-m sprint, 50-m sprint, shuttle run (10 m × 5), vertical jump, standing 5-step jump, and Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test. Our main results were as follows: 1) Regarding physique (height, weight, and lean body mass), Japanese players showed the lowest values. 2) Japanese players achieved the fastest times in the 10-m sprint. Japanese players with lower height tended to perform better in 10-m sprints than in the other runs. 3) Japanese players were the fastest in 10 m × 5 shuttle runs. Speed of Agility was one of the physical characteristics of Japanese players. 4) Players from the 4 countries showed no significant differences in the vertical jump. Keywords: Soccer, Physical fitness, Motor ability, Talent |