Pathways to the senior national teams: experiences of playing-up and mixed-gender play among Swedish elite female footballers.

Introduction: This study examines the significance of playing-up (participating in training and playing with older age groups) and mixed-gender play (training and playing with opposite gender) for Swedish female football players to reach the highest international level. Methods: Drawing on questionnaire data from senior female football players who play in the first league in Sweden or abroad as a professional, we examined their experiences of playing-up and mixed-gender play during their child and youth years, and its significance for being selected for the senior national teams, i.e., Swedish U23 and women's national team. Results and discussion: Findings revealed that about half of the players between age 9-12 and over 80% between age 13-15 reported experiences of training or playing with older players, showing that playing-up is a common experience among players who reach women's elite level. Regarding mixed-gender experiences, less than 25% of the participants reported that they trained or played with boys between age 9-12 and between 13 and 15 years. The findings showed further that 41% of the players had been selected for the senior national teams. Logistic regression analysis showed that experiences of playing-up or mixed-gender play between age 9-12 or 13-15 did not increase the likelihood of being selected for the senior national teams. This is one of few studies to date investigating the impact of playing-up and mixed-gender play on females' pathways to senior national team levels in football. Understanding how playing-up and mixed-gender play relates to athlete development and for attaining expertise in young adulthood can guide coaches and organizations in structuring training environments that foster sustainable development.