Career trajectories of under-19 portuguese elite football players

This investigation aims to analyze the career trajectories of Under-19 (U19) elite football players, i.e., transition from junior-to-senior. A total of 1226 male football players participated in the study. Considering the junior and senior competitive context, they were classified into 8 categories (i.e.: Club's Senior Team; B Team; Portuguese Second Division; Portuguese Third Division; Regional Competition; Portuguese Under-23 Championship; Foreign Team; Drop Out). One real database was used (www.zerozero.pt), and relative and absolute frequencies were calculated (general, North and South). Results suggest that the majority of Portuguese U19 elite football players doesn't stay in elite teams after the transition from junior-to-senior. Furthermore, 131 athletes (11%) dropped out of football. In accordance, the focus of the research should be based on understanding of career trajectories of U19 elite football players and their differential predictive relations to dropout.