BACKGROUND: Soccer is part of the team sports games category and is characterized by the cooperation and opposition interactions between players in the same space of play and time. Thus, players must adequately decide what action to perform despite the unpredictable, random, and varying nature of the environment of play. AIM: This paper explores tactical competencies that can be appreciated in the way players play and their functioning. METHOD: The argumentation is structured over a review of sixty articles in five languages, selected from the results in an online university library with topic-related keywords. The selected papers were analyzed to identify the most frequently reported concepts related to (i) tactics and action in the play; (ii) decision-making and associated cognitive mechanisms and skills; and (iii) the teaching-learning-training process. RESULTS: The results of this review sum the three following competencies: tactical intelligence, creativity, and co-adaptability. We argue that these competencies can be built through the play's practice and that coaches should seek to use them to the advantage of player’s development. Small-sided and conditioned games reflect a compatible opportunity to nurture the competencies as long as they are configured to solicit the competencies in an environment that promotes them. CONCLUSION: Tactical intelligence, creativity, and co-adaptability can be appreciated in the tactical behavior shown by performing players. For the same reason, those also should constitute more of the player’s development curriculum, therefore leading to players who have a competitive advantage.

Purpose. this study analysed the influence of the absence of goalkeeper and the number of goals in tactical actions in 3 configurations of small-sided and conditioned games (SSCGs): (a) goalkeeper + 3 vs. 3 + goalkeeper; (b) 3 vs. 3 (no goalkeeper); and (c) 3 vs. 3 with 2 mini goals. Methods. Overall, 24 under-15 soccer players were divided into 8 teams of 3 players each. Seven games were played for each configuration for a total of 21. the tactical behaviour was evaluated with the System of tactical Assessment in Soccer (FUt-SAt). Results. More offensive actions were performed in the SSCGs with goalkeepers. the games played without goalkeepers led to more actions associated with defensive unity but also a higher rate of errors concerning the tactical principles of delay and defensive unity. In relation to the outcome of actions, more fouls, throw-ins, and corner kicks were observed in the SSCGs with 2 mini goals. Conclusions. the games played without goalkeepers reflected a higher difficulty in managing spaces of the game and led to a higher number of errors in the performance of core defensive tactical principles. In the games played with 2 mini goals, it was observed that the players on the wings were positioned closer to each other, which made the play more fragmented compared with the other conditions. In accordance with these results, it is possible to identify the influence of goalkeepers on tactical behaviour during SSCGs.