Esforço cognitivo e fadiga mental: relações e impactos sobre a performance de jogadores de futebol

Abstract

Mental fatigue is a neurobiological condition that can compromise the performance of football players. Considering the increasing cognitive demands of modern football, the main objective of this dissertation was to investigate the relationship between cognitive effort and mental fatigue, as well as their effects on the tactical performance of football players. To achieve this, a systematic review of the scientific literature (2015–2025) and two experimental studies were conducted. The review was carried out in accordance with PRISMA guidelines, using the Web of Science database and PICOS criteria, resulting in the selection of 20 studies. The experimental studies assessed tactical performance using the FUT-SAT in small-sided games, both under control conditions and under a state of mental fatigue, which was previously induced through the Stroop Task. The findings indicated that mental fatigue significantly impairs athletes’ tactical performance, negatively affecting both the tactical performance index and the tactical behaviour adopted during play. However, players with higher cognitive efficiency experienced little to no performance impairment. It is therefore concluded that mental fatigue has a substantially detrimental effect on tactical performance in football; however, good cognitive efficiency can mitigate these impacts. These results highlight the importance of monitoring cognitive load and carefully planning training sessions.