A grounded theory for professional soccer teams’ playing styles: Towards a consensus

The recognition of playing styles in soccer has been established as highly significant in the performance analysis of the sport. The aim of this research was to clarify the terms used by authors to express this specific concept and to identify all recognized playing styles, examining their relationships, thereby creating a comprehensive framework. We employed a qualitative study design using a Grounded Theory approach. A rigorous process of open, axial, and selective coding was applied, involving nine researchers to ensure the reliability of the findings. Qualitative research data were obtained from documents found on Scopus and Google Scholar. After applying specific criteria, 205 documents were deemed suitable, with 22 of them necessary to achieve theoretical saturation, the point where no new properties, dimensions, or relationships emerge during analysis. The 22 documents were analyzed using Atlas.ti.23, identifying 84 codes, 40 of which were utilized as categories and 44 as subcategories. The set of codes categorized into six thematic folders. The analysis led to the identification of terms used to express the concept of style in the international literature and the recognition of playing styles used to characterize a team a) regardless of the game phases, b) in specific phases of the game, c) in specific sub-phases of the attack, d) based on the game phases that teams rely on for their tactics, and e) based on the teams’ physical performance. By synthesizing existing literature, we proposed a Grounded Theory that serves as a consensus point for researchers and coaches. This theory managed to overcome the limitations of individual studies and can serve as the foundation for effective communication within the soccer community, thus being a useful tool for future research, as well as for coaches, analysts, and scouts of the teams.