Joost Desender’s LTPD: Game formats as a motor for youth football
In modern youth football, coaches, parents and clubs are looking for a way to guarantee both fun and development. One of the most inspiring voices in this field is Joost Desender, a West Flemish youth coach who has specialised in the age groups U6 to U13. His approach revolves around a simple but powerful idea: children learn to play football by playing. By combining the LTPD method with carefully selected game formats, he offers a learning pathway that respects both the football intelligence and the physical development of young players.
The LTPD signature method: what does it actually involve?
The abbreviation LTPD stands for Age‑Specific Training Plan with a Clear focus. In practice this means that each training session is tailored to the player's biological age, not just his calendar age. Joost Desender emphasizes a physical planning that takes growth, motor development and recovery needs into account. As a result, children are not over‑loaded, but they receive the right stimulus to improve their skills step by step.
The signature method links LTPD directly to game formats. Instead of dry technical drills, exercises are set up as small games (for example 2‑against‑2 or 3‑against‑3). These game formats ensure that the technical elements – ball control, passing, dribbling – appear organically in the match situation. Thus children learn not only how to handle the ball, but also why certain movements are effective in a particular game situation.
A concrete example: in a 3‑against‑3 game situation on a reduced pitch, a child is challenged to make a pass to a teammate who is in a better position. While the player executes the pass, he works on his passing technique, but he also has to assess the movement of his teammate and the defenders. This dual focus – technique and game insight – is exactly what Desender describes as “football intelligence through game formats”.
Why game formats are central in the Belgian development philosophy
The Belgian youth development system has a federal, standardised pyramid of game formats that ranges from 2‑against‑2 to 11‑against‑11. This pyramid, often referred to as the “Sablon”, is built on three core principles: game formats, technique_first and an anti‑star culture. The first step – game formats – ensures that children learn how football works within a playful context from an early age. By taking the game as the starting point, a natural motivation to practice and improve arises.
The second principle, technique_first, means that technical skills always form the basis of every exercise. In Desender's LTPD approach this principle is applied literally: each game format contains a clear technical focus, whether it is first touch, short passing or positional movements. By integrating technique into a playful environment, children are prevented from perceiving the drills as boring or forced.
The third principle, anti‑star culture, focuses on preventing a star‑mentality among young players. Instead of allowing one or two ‘stars’ to dominate, this approach encourages a collective contribution from the whole team. In Desender’s game formats, equal playing spaces and rotations are often used, so every player gets the chance to shine, but also to fail and learn from it. This fosters a healthy team spirit and a broader game intelligence.
The transition from game formats to full 11‑against‑11 football
In the Belgian structure, offside is usually introduced only when players approach the full 11‑against‑11 formation. This often happens around the U14 age group, when the physical and cognitive development of the children is sufficiently advanced to understand the complexity of offside rules. Until then, training remains focused on smaller game formats, which emphasize space, movement and simple rules.
The transition from a 5‑against‑5 or 7‑against‑7 to a full 11‑against‑11 is not a sudden jump, but a gradual process. Around U12‑U13, coaches first introduce a “scaling up” of the pitch and an increase in the number of players, while the basic principles of game formats are retained. For example, a coach can organise a 7‑against‑7 match with a limited number of offside rules, so the players get used to the new dynamics without fully experiencing the complexity of an 11‑against‑11 match.
Joost Desender emphasises that the physical planning according to LTPD remains crucial here. Because the biological age of the players still plays a major role, the intensity of the training is adjusted so that the transition proceeds smoothly. An example: a U13 team that is just starting with 9‑against‑9 games receives a training schedule that focuses on increasing running distance and improving aerobic capacity, but without the load that a full 11‑against‑11 match entails.
Practical tips for parents, coaches and youth players
1. Choose the right game format for the age group. For U6‑U9, 2‑against‑2 or 3‑against‑3 are ideal. These formats provide enough space and simplicity, allowing children to focus on ball contact and basic technique. As players get older, one can gradually expand to 5‑against‑5 and 7‑against‑7.
2. Keep the technical focus clear. In every exercise there should be one clear technical objective – for example a first touch, a short pass or a dribbling movement. Communicate this goal clearly to the players so they know what to focus on.
3. Adjust the physical load to the biological age. Check whether the training duration, intensity and recovery time match the players' growth phase. Watch for signs of fatigue and ensure sufficient recovery periods.
4. Avoid a ‘star culture’. Let children rotate through different positions and ensure everyone has an equal playing and learning opportunity. This promotes team cohesion and prevents one player from bearing all the responsibility.
5. Introduce offside gradually. Wait until the players are around U14 before applying full offside rules. Start with simple variants, for example offside only in the final third of the pitch, and build the understanding step by step.
6. Use the publications as inspiration. Desender’s books “Football is FUN: learning to play football by playing — U6‑U9” (2022) and “The devil’s ‘football fun’ book” (2003) are full of concrete game formats, exercise ideas and examples of how to apply the LTPD principles in practice.
Conclusion
Joost Desender has, with his LTPD signature method, built a bridge between fun and performance in youth development. By linking game formats to a biological, age‑specific training plan, he provides a framework in which children develop football intelligence without over‑loading. The Belgian development philosophy, with its emphasis on game formats, technique_first and an anti‑star culture, aligns perfectly with Desender’s vision. For parents, coaches and youth players this means that a playful, balanced approach is not only enjoyable, but also lays the best foundation for a successful football career. With the right game formats, a clear technical focus and a gradual transition to 11‑against‑11, the youth player grows into a smart, healthy and team‑oriented footballer.