Research looks at why some top footballers ‘bottle it’
SCIENTISTS can now spot footballers who handle intense big-match pressure such as Cristiano Ronaldo from those who “bottle it” using state of the art analysis.
The Portuguese superstar is seemingly immune to pressure on the pitch while other big names such as Neymar sometimes crumble in the spotlight.
Now researchers have developed new technology which shows which footballers will be able to handle the biggest matches – and those who may “choke” on the big stage.
Scientists can now predict which professional football players are more likely to keep their cool and perform during a match as well as those who are more likely to take their eye off the ball.
In a new study, researchers developed technology that can estimate how much pressure a player feels when in possession of the ball by scrutinising their choices in a bid to understand how it affects their performance.
Findings revealed not all players perform better under pressure and that some players are much better at it than others.
The remarkable new technology could prove invaluable to coaches when preparing for crucial matches and could even affect transfer market values.
Leading sports researcher Dr Jan Van Haaren said: “Is it a good thing that players perform better when they’re under pressure?
“It’s not exactly black and white – the most ideal scenario is for professional football players to have a stable performance, regardless of the pressure.
“Our analyses show, for instance, that Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo is oblivious to pressure – his performances are constant.
“Brazilian player Neymar, on the other hand, seems to choke under stress – he makes poorer decisions when there’s a lot of pressure.”
Researchers at KU Leuven University in Belgium and data firm Scisports analysed nearly 7,000 matches in seven competitions to see how professional football players perform under pressure.
Professor Jesse Davis said while mental pressure has already been extensively studied in sports such as baseball and basketball “this is unchartered territory” for football.
Prof Davis, from KU Leuven, said: “Professional football players are generously rewarded for their talent, but they are often expected to perform under immense mental pressure.
“A crucial save from the goalkeeper, scoring the decisive penalty or giving the perfect assist for the winning goal – the right action can sometimes be worth millions.”
Players feel the heat most if the score is close and the match is almost over.