Football players in cyberspace

digital social networks and human development in high-performance sports

Abstract

The growing presence of digital social networks has transformed how soccer players communicate, learn, and build their public image. This study aimed to analyze the influence of these platforms on the daily lives, athletic performance, and psychological development of professional and U-20 athletes. Using a mixed-methods approach with a sequential exploratory design, the research was conducted in two complementary phases: qualitative and quantitative. The first involved semi-structured interviews with five professional athletes (including those playing for clubs in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd divisions of the São Paulo State Championship and one athlete with experience in São Paulo clubs and international experience), analyzed using Thematic Content Analysis. The second consisted of an online questionnaire (QRSD) administered to 50 athletes from the professional and U-20 categories of São Paulo clubs, with descriptive and comparative analysis of frequencies in 40 variables. The results showed that social networks are widely used for communication, technical learning, and personal promotion, but also constitute sources of distraction, psychological pressure, and emotional vulnerability. Based on the Bioecological Theory of Human Development, it is understood that the digital environment integrates the athlete's microsystem, influencing their interpersonal relationships and self-regulation processes. Cyberspace emerges as a symbolic field for the construction of identity and sporting knowledge, while the fundamentals of Sports Psychology allow us to understand the effects of networks on motivation, concentration, and mental health. It is concluded that digital social networks play a structuring role in the sporting and personal trajectory of athletes, functioning as spaces for visibility, learning, and expression, but requiring emotional and educational competencies for balanced use. It is recommended that clubs and technical commissions implement digital literacy and psychological support programs, promoting healthy management of online presence and contributing to integral human and sporting development.