Pressure: Lessons from the Psychology of the Penalty Shootout

DAILY MAIL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR
FOREWORD BY ARSÈNE WENGER

'The definitive guide on how not to choke on penalties.' The Daily Mail

'One of the world's preeminent minds on one of sport's most pressurised dramas'. The Independent

'I hope that this book will find its way into the hands of anyone, players or managers, who might have to take part in the inevitable penalty shootouts, watched by more than a billion people, that will bring synapse-stunning excitement to this year's European Championships.' Roger Alton, The Times

'A gripping, surprising and deeply humane look at one of the most intense pieces of drama on earth.' James Graham, author of Dear England

Includes exclusive interviews with Erling Haaland, Martin Ødegaard, Robert Lewandowski and other Premier League players

'I can score penalties in my sleep, so why not that one?' Marcus Rashford, Euros 2021

The penalty shootout is the most intense drama in sport. The anxious wait, the building dread, the lonely, heavy-legged walk towards the penalty spot. One kick while the world holds its breath. Even football's most casual observers cannot escape the nerve-wracking suspense.

What happens to a footballer's brain and body in these heart-pounding moments of pressure? Why do some thrive while others choke?

In this ground-breaking book, sport psychology Professor Geir Jordet dissects each agonising element of the shootout's duel and the universal human stress mechanisms that it triggers and illuminates. Drawing on two decades of studying the atomic nuances of performance under pressure, Jordet's vivid case studies take you behind the scenes of football's most nail-biting moments. He interviews superstars and shares stories from his work with top teams and some of the world's best players.

In the penalty shootout, as in life, it is often the tiny, seemingly invisible decisions that impact success and failure. After reading this book, you will have fresh insights and a newly acquired understanding of those dreaded moments when the pressure builds - how to handle them.