RT Journal Article T1 No sport for old players. A longitudinal study of aging effects on match performance in elite soccer A1 Rey Eiras, Ezequiel A1 Lorenzo Martínez, Miguel A1 López Del Campo, Roberto A1 Resta, Ricardo A1 Lago Peñas, Carlos K1 2411.06 Fisiolología del Ejercicio K1 6109.07 Evaluación del Rendimiento K1 6108.03 Senectud AB Objectives: This study aimed to examine the effects of age on match-related physical and technical–tactical performancein elite soccer players using a longitudinal design.Methods: Data were collected from 154 players who competed in the Spanish first division (LaLiga) between the2012–13 and 2019–20 seasons. A total of 14,092 individual match observations were analyzed using a computerizedtracking system (TRACAB, Chyronhego, New York, NY). The players were classified into five positionalroles: central defenders (n = 37); external defenders (n = 44); central midfielders (n = 34); externalmidfielders (n = 22); and forwards (n=17).Results: The main results showed that (a) soccer players decreased by an average of 0.56% their total distance coveredfor each year that they got older. Similarly, the number of high-intensity efforts and distance covered athigh-intensity running decreased by 1.80% and 1.42% per year, respectively; (b) players significantly increasedtheir pass accuracy by an average of 0.25% each year that they got older; (c) the detrimental effect of age ontotal distance and high-intensity runningwas greater for external defenders, external midfielders, and forwards;and (d) the positive effect of age on pass accuracy was greater for central defenders and central midfielders.Conclusions: Elite soccer players with long-term careers were unable to maintain their match-related physicalperformance as they got older. However, players can annually improve their technical–tactical skillswith increasing age as a possible compensation mechanism against physical performance declines relatedto aging. PB Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport SN 14402440 YR 2022 FD 2022-06 LK http://hdl.handle.net/11093/4074 UL http://hdl.handle.net/11093/4074 LA eng NO Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 25(6): 535-539 (2022) NO Financiado para publicación en acceso aberto: Universidade de Vigo/CISUG DS Investigo RD 16-feb-2025