The influence of the distribution of leadership powers of football players on the competitive success of teams at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

Relevance. In sports teams playing at the elite level, the actions of players with leadership qualities have acquired an important role. In particular, the competitive success in the games of top-class football teams is largely determined by the highly effective actions of outstanding players-leaders. In a sports team, leadership is based on the constructive interaction of a group of people united by a single activity, and the collective recognition of the professionalism and competence of some of them with a high leadership status. Against the background of the increasing importance of consistency and effectiveness of collective interactions, the tournament result of an elite-level football team is largely determined by the presence of key players-leaders located in three zones of the game: defense, mid-field and attack. In this regard, the relevance of the study is dictated by the need to establish an optimal structure for the distribution of leadership functions for an elite level football team and the dependence of achieving a competitive result on the completeness of their implementation in the team. The aim of the study is to determine the structure of the distribution of leadership powers in the participating teams of the final tournament of the World Cup. Research methods. The following methods were used in the research process: analysis of special literature, pedagogical observation of competitive activity, video recording of competitive activity, expert assessment, mathematical statistics. The results of the study. As a result of the study, the optimal composition of the key players of the elite-level football team, their positions on the field and functional features of the exercise of leadership powers were established. The composition of such a leadership group should include key players in each of the game lines. It is necessary that the players of such a leadership group include a football player who is able to carry out a positive emotional impact on partners. And in order to achieve an outstanding competitive result for a team, it must have at least one outstanding offensive player in its composition. Conclusion. A stable balance in the distribution of leadership powers and the high qualification of the driven players is a prerequisite for the successful performance of the team in international competitions.