ABSTRACTSmall-sided games (SSGs) are regularly used in soccer training. SSGs areused because of their capacity toreplicate the demands of a real matchor control the overall workload ofplayers. However, some threats mayresult from the use of SSGs. Thus, it isimportant to highlight those threats toimprove the effectiveness of SSG implementation. Based on that, weexamine and discuss comparisonsbetween external load SSGs and realgame scenarios, the intra- and interplayers physical variability during thesmaller formats of play, the consequences of SSGs in terms of theproper physical stimulation of players,and injury prevention.