Blogs - Page 7 of 26 - This Week In Soccer

Health

The Hidden Battle Behind the Beautiful Game

Picture a full squad before kickoff: 25 athletes ready to give everything for the badge. Now imagine nine of them quietly battling depression, anxiety, or another mental health challenge. That’s the reality for many professional soccer players today. Mental health isn’t just a side issue—it’s central to performance, development, and long-term player wellbeing. And yet, […]

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Health

The Nexus of Nutrition and Soccer Performance

Soccer is not just about what happens on the field during the 90 minutes of play. It’s a comprehensive journey of preparation, which includes strategic nutrition, physiological training, and the embrace of scientific findings to enhance player performance. As the sport evolves, so does the need to integrate the latest scientific discoveries into athletes’ daily […]

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Culture

Title: Fix Small Problems, Stop Big Trouble

Picture this: a fan hurls a plastic bottle onto the pitch. Nobody intervenes. Soon, chants turn abusive, tempers flare, and before long, fights break out in the stands. What started as “just one bad moment” snowballs into chaos. A new study in Frontiers in Psychology brings fresh insight into why this happens. Using the Broken […]

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Culture

Crowd Power in Soccer

Picture this: your team is up 1–0 at home. The final 15 minutes drag on, and the crowd grows louder with every defensive stand. The energy is electric. Players run harder, tackles bite stronger, and shots come faster. Now imagine the same match in an empty stadium. No chants. No pressure. Just silence. Would your […]

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Strategy

Reading the Game Before the Kick

Every coach has seen it: the defender who clears the ball just before danger, or the goalkeeper who positions perfectly for a corner before the ball is even struck. To outsiders, it looks like luck. But science shows it’s not. It’s anticipation—the ability to read patterns and predict what happens next. A new study from […]

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Health

Understanding the Impact of Soccer Heading on Brain Health

Recent research has brought to light critical concerns about the impacts of repeated soccer heading on brain health. While the beautiful game helps improve cardiovascular health and teamwork skills, the potential risks associated with frequent heading raise significant safety concerns. Recent Findings in Soccer Science New research published in the Columbia University Irving Medical Center […]

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Health

Heat Stress and Players’ Performance

The world of soccer is a complex blend of athleticism, strategy, and environmental factors. As the global climate continues to change, understanding the impact of heat stress on players becomes increasingly important. The Growing Challenge of Heat Stress in Soccer Recent reports from the United Nations and WHO highlight the rising temperatures and the associated […]

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Strategy

3 Science-Backed Secrets of Soccer Anticipation

Did you know that over 70% of match outcomes are influenced by set pieces like corner kicks? A new study reveals why some players seem to “see the future” on the field—and how that skill can be trained 1. Experts Don’t Watch the Kicker—They Read the Crowd Skilled players don’t just track the corner taker’s […]

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Development

Boosting Soccer Training with Smarter Drill Choices

Every coach knows that not all training drills are created equal. But here’s the kicker—new research tracking over 65,000 drills from professional teams shows just how much drill choice shapes a player’s physical readiness, injury risk, and game-day performance. Whether you’re a grassroots coach or managing an elite squad, these insights can help you get […]

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