“What can you see? What can you hear?” The implementation of a behaviour-based mental toughness framework within international youth football

Researchers have identified mentally tough behaviors (MTbs) as crucial for linking mental toughness (MT) capacity to consistently high performance under pressure but often overlook how displays of MTb lead to MT development. Through a practitioner-researcher approach within a UEFA National Football Association, an applied intervention, using a behavior-based MT development framework, was administered during an under-15s international training camp, with the aim of supporting coaches (n = 2) to facilitate youth footballers’ (n = 22) MT development. The intervention included pre-camp coach education, in-camp coach support, and post-camp interviews to assess effectiveness. Players’ MT levels, measured using the MT Index (MTI), significantly increased pre- to post-camp. Coaches highlighted the intervention’s role in clarifying MT and helping them frame MTbs appropriately. Players credited their MT development to how coaches clarified, reinforced, and reviewed the MTbs they displayed under pressure. We recommend practitioners working with sports organizations create bespoke MT development frameworks that integrate into their development processes, including player development and session planning.