Notes on Football Psychology

𝐏𝐒𝐘𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐑𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐍 𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐊𝐈 - 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝

Almost 20% of all football goals are scored after the 80th minute. When time pressure increases and the atmosphere intensifies, the game starts to become less and less tactical and structural but more psychological.

Street football rewards the player who is technical and impressive — not the one who sticks to positional instructions. This is how Cherki was conditioned to play, since childhood. Your environment dictates what kind of player you become.

For many players, adapting to a new team takes time. This isn’t surprising given the pressure from media and fans, new social dynamics, and a completely different environment. Energy is more focused on settling in rather than on performance.

Final thoughts📌: Cherki reveals a rare psychological perspective: he doesn’t dominate the ball — he dialogues with it. Anthropomorphism + deep intrinsic motivation to entertain = technical dribbling and pure showmanship. In football’s march toward robotic efficiency, players like him keep the artistry alive.

THE BALL AS A PET “I can’t hurt the ball… I want it to like me. It’s like my cat.” This is textbook anthropomorphism (psychological tendency to attribute human characteristics, emotions, intentions, or behaviors to non-human entities like animals and objects) This is a very interesting thinking pattern that makes Cherki different from the rest. For majority of players, the ball is a tool to dominate. For Cherki, dribbling the ball is rather a dialogue. In his mind, when he takes a bad touch, he doesn’t just fail - he lets the ball down. This is why his dribbling looks liquid; every contact being calibrated to the ball’s preference.

𝐏𝐒𝐘𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐑𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐍 𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐊𝐈 - 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝

PRE-PERFORMANCE ROUTINE - For Ronaldo, the breathing pattern and the usual stance is a pre-performance routine - Psychological research shows that routines create familiarity under pressure and reduces “choking” - Thanks to the years of repetition of the identical routine and almost 200 successful penalties, it has become deep rooted in Ronaldo’s mind. When he executes it, he’s nervous system automatically tunes into repeating the same action - scoring another penalty.

BODY LANGUAGE When humans feel dominant and in control, it changes our body language The effects of confident body language are: - Shoulders rolled back - Straightened and balanced posture - Elevated chin Ronaldo’s behavior checks all of these traits and we can draw two conclusions from this; - He is feeling confident already - Or he consciously puts his body in the posture of confidence, with the brain following Either way, this wide stance signals classic dominance display to one’s environment

𝐏𝐒𝐘𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐃𝐎’𝐒 𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐒

@AdeyemiTholu It was important for Barcelona's players to keep going and trust their own competence. Newcastle wasn't nearly matching the same intensity although they managed to tie the game twice.

Tactics get you to the Round of 16. Mental Fortitude gets you to the Quarter-Finals. Which team showed the most mental grit this week? Let’s talk in the replies. 👇

The UCL Round of 16 Mental Masterclass

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐩? (𝐩𝐬𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞)

Psychology of Bodo Glimt - the underdogs📌: 👇 #bodoglimtinter #Sporting #ChampionsLeague #Underdog #Psychology #football

@Priceless_MCI Nothing to lose. City are the hunters now.

The etihad awaits, Real Madrid have no idea what’s coming for them.

@ChrisWillx To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering" - Nietzsche

Why Suffering Is Important