For soccer
For soccer, lateral lunge rates well ahead on our research criteria: more injury protection.
Both are good choices that build different things for soccer, so a plan can use both.
The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work
Lateral Lunge. Strength in a wide side step that loads the adductors, the muscles most groin injuries involve.
For basketball, lateral lunge rates higher on our research criteria: more injury protection.
For skiing & snowboarding, lateral lunge rates well ahead on our research criteria: more injury protection, more carry-over to skiing & snowboarding.
For soccer, lateral lunge rates well ahead on our research criteria: more injury protection. Both are good choices that build different things for soccer, so a plan can use both.
About the same: both are easy to learn.
Jump squat needs no equipment, so you can do it anywhere. Lateral lunge needs dumbbells, so a home gym covers it.
Lateral lunge: it rates Strong for injury protection in our research rubric, against Fair for jump squat.