Influence of manipulating pitch size and game format in small-sided soccer games on tactical creativity and exploratory behavior of young players

•The SSG4v4 showed higher creativity values than the SSG5v5.•Larger fields provide greater exploration opportunities for players.•SSG4v4 in different field dimensions did not show differences in creativity. This study analyzed the influence of manipulating the pitch size and the game format in small-sided soccer games on the tactical creativity and exploratory behavior of young players. Thirty-six young players (10.79 ± 0.60 yrs) from the U-10 and U-11 team of a professional soccer club from Brazil participated in the study. Players were recorded during 2 periods of 4 min in four conditions: SSG4v4-Small, SSG4v4-Large, SSG5v5-Small and SSG5v5-Large. The small configurations had a relative area of 64.80m2/player while the large ones were 272.80m2/player. Tactical creativity of players was analyzed through notational analysis using CBATS matrix, while GPS positional data were used to analyze exploratory behavior (“major range” and “spatial exploration index”). GEE was used to compare creativity in games and exploratory behavior in the different structural configurations of small-sided games. Greater emergence of fluency and versatility in the GK + 4v4 + GK game was observed (p< 0.05). Originality was higher in the two GK + 4v4 + GK games compared to GK + 5v5 + GK (p< 0.05). Variables of exploratory behavior were higher in games played on larger fields (p< 0.01). The addition or reduction of one element in each team is significant for obtaining different creativity values in matches.