Introduction:
Human behavior reflects a complex interaction of multiple factors, and players’ observable actions during football matches can be understood as manifestations of psychological competencies that may be linked to measurable indicators.

Aim of the study:
This study aimed to operationalize a diagnostic approach capable of capturing the complexity of sporting performance phenomena by integrating heterogeneous data sources. Such an approach seeks to enable novel interpretations and support the deduction of underlying causes of individual behaviors in match contexts.

Material and methods:
In this exploratory correlational study, the relationship between data from a specific match moment – the attack–defense transition (ADT) – and a psychological competence (resilience) was examined. Resilience was assessed using the Portuguese version of the Resilience Scale (RS). Data were collected from three matches of an under-14 masculine team (n = 20) participating in a national tournament (Portugal).

Results:
The analysis showed that players stopped or slowed recovery actions in 22% of ADT moments but no robust evidence was found to suggest that a player’s resilience level is related to their success in ADT moments within this sample.

Conclusions:
These findings indicate that although psychological resilience may be associated with behavioral tendencies during ADT moments, other variables should be analyzed and further investigation is needed to strengthen this conclusion. This study provides preliminary evidence that the diagnosis of psychological competencies can be strengthened through specific match analyses, representing an important step towards a holistic understanding of players’ performance.