So if you’re one of those people that think athletes are a bunch of «dumb jocks», think again. There’s research that has come out and has been published in Men’s Fitness Magazine that’s saying that soccer players are outperforming the public in mental abilities.
The research that’s been done by Swedish researchers set out to see if their mental capabilities like executive function could determine how they could perform on the field. Executive function includes activities such as working memory, like what you use to make a phone call. Executive function also includes creativity and multi-tasking, which are skills that are absolutely essential for a soccer player to be successful on the field.
When the researchers set out, they tested the Swedish professional league players, from the elite division on down and compared the findings to those of the public. Mental functioning tests were performed with the findings showing that the elite players were able to score the best on average on the tests.
So what does this research tell us about soccer players?
1. You have to be able to think quickly to play at a high level.
2. You need a creative mind that always leaves your opponent guessing.
3. You need to think in other people’s ‘shoes’ to anticipate plays.
The game of soccer is like almost any sport. Find the open space and attach it. Pass to the open guy. Take smart shots.
But to truly be one of the best, you need to be able to think at a higher pace. And not just think at a higher pace, but make smart decisions quickly while having to control a ball on your foot. Easier said than done.
So let’s take a look at Spain, the 2012 European Champions. A good portion of their roster comes from either Real Madrid or Barcelona, with a few other teams sprinkled in here and there. Spain has been able to win the last 3 major tournaments which is almost unheard of. In this day and age, it’s unprecedented.
If you really dig deep into the Spanish team, you’ll find that a major impact on the championship side are Barcelona bred. These players hail from La Masia, a breeding ground for top level talent looking to play for FC Barcelona one day.
The reason these players are able to play at such a high level is in large part due to their top level training that they receive on a daily basis, but also the type of education they receive at La Masia. They don’t just teach the game of soccer, they teach their players how to think and to be able to interchange positions on the fly. The other thing they’re taught is how to be good people, which is something that gets overlooked too often in competitive sports.
So if there’s anything to take away from this article, it would be this: GET AN EDUCATION.