Autorentext

Geir Jordet, PhD, professor in psychology and football at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, is described by The Times as "The World leading expert on the psychology of penalties". Since 2004, he has studied penalty kicks and published extensively on it in scientific journals. This work includes analyses of every single penalty shootout in the World Cup, European Championships, and the Champions League from 1976 to today. He has interviewed many of the top players about their thoughts, emotions, and experiences with penalties. In addition, he has tested his predictions in practice while consulting with more than 20 elite teams, including the national teams of England, Germany, Netherlands, USA, and Norway

Klappentext

'I felt I was stepping off the edge of the world into silence' Chris Waddle

A penalty shoot-out is the ultimate stress test. So much hangs on that 90-second ordeal. In this gripping book, psychologist Professor Geir Jordet reveals the elaborate psychological elements of a penalty shootout, and the universal human stress mechanisms that it illuminates. What happens to players' brains and bodies under severe pressure? Why do some thrive while others choke? How can they turn a seemingly uncontrollable outcome into one that is positive and more predictable?

Drawing on two decades of studying the atomic nuances of performance under pressure, Jordet shares fascinatingly detailed case studies and stories from working with top national teams, as well as the surprising techniques he has devised to enable players to succeed. This is a book for anyone who has been fascinated by a World Cup penalty shoot-out, or simply fallen apart during an important conversation.