Approximately six billion people worldwide are predicted to engage with this year’s FIFA World Cup™, according to the international football association — and five million of those fans will be cheering in person over the course of 104 matches. With that level of global attention, the internal and external pressure for professional soccer players to bring their A-game and claim victory is immense.
“Particularly with social media, players get so much attention, and everything is closely scrutinized,” says Bryant University Professor of Psychology Ronald Deluga, Ed.D., who teaches the university’s “Sports Psychology” course. “Especially in the last 10 or 15 years, the pressure on them is much greater than in the past.”
Deluga notes that athletes and sports organizations are still adjusting to this change. Many professional teams around the world, and across a variety of sports, are placing a greater emphasis on mental health by adding counselors and sports psychologists to their support staff.
Training to handle pressure is now a crucial part of preparing to compete at the highest level, says Deluga, and there are specific strategies that athletes can practice to increase their coping abilities during highly stressful in-game situations.
The art of visualization, the comfort of routine
Whether it’s a penalty kick, the final minute of a knockout match, or a shoot-out to end a tie, there are moments in sports where room for error is slim to none, and the weight of a situation is potentially crushing. To effectively manage these high-pressure moments, it’s important to be as thoroughly prepared for them as possible.
One method, Deluga suggests, is to simulate high-stakes scenarios during practice and run through them using a cognitive technique known as visualization.
“Using all five senses, you visualize as closely as you can what it'd be like in that moment, so — when you get to that moment — you've been there before, theoretically speaking,” explains Deluga, who shares that these mental reps can go a long way in supporting a player’s performance.
Pre-game rituals or routines also play an important role in how athletes mentally prepare for the game ahead. Whether consciously or subconsciously, Deluga notes that players’ routines act as a familiar reassurance even in situations they’re facing for the first time.
Examples could include how or when they put on their uniform, when they put on their cleats, or even how they put on their socks, Deluga says. “It's all very methodological; it gives them a comfort level of familiarity.”
Because of this, it’s important for organization to give athletes the time and space they need for their traditions, no matter how minor they seem to be.
The power of positive reinforcement
Preparing for stress can also mean ensuring athletes say the right things to themselves in difficult moments, as that can significantly influence their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
Replacing fear-based thoughts with confidence can help manage anxiety, Deluga says.
“If you’re saying to yourself, ‘Oh my god, I'm afraid I'm going to screw this up,’ that's not productive thinking,” he states. “You’ve got to think, ‘Okay, what can I do to make this work? What have I practiced?’ And ‘I know I've practiced this, so I know I'm good at it.’”
While self-talk is critical at the individual level, it can also have a notable impact at the team level and on how athletes interact with one another and their coaching staff.
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The use of positive language is crucial, says Deluga, both internally and out loud.
“You have to boost each other up and support each other, especially when things are not going well,” he notes.
While individual players need to develop the internal skills and habits to bounce back from mishaps and not spiral, teammates should also offer encouragement in these moments by saying things like, ‘We all make mistakes’ or ‘We’ll get them next time,’ Simple actions like this can help improve a person’s motivation and effort.
The path to manifesting resilience
Perspective, says Deluga, can be crucial, when it comes to an event like the World Cup. The expectations of fans, teammates, and the media can amplify stress for athletes, but they can also be energizing.
The high stakes don’t have to be a negative thing, Deluga suggests. Instead, athletes can use them as a sign of their talent and as an opportunity to show off that talent.
“They could spin it as, ‘We are good and we know it, and we're going to prove to the world that we're good,’” he says.
Similarly, in difficult times, they can think back to past occasions where they bounced back from circumstances in the past and use that mentality to move forward, so they can be at the top of their game both mentally and physically.
Ultimately, Deluga suggests that aspiring athletes who want to develop their coping abilities should watch other professional athletes and learn from how they react when under pressure.
“Observe how they handle themselves, particularly their body language, which often is a very conscious decision on their part to maintain a commanding presence throughout the game,” he says.