Male and Female Football Players' Anxiety before Penalty Shootout

ANXIETY BEFORE PENALTY SHOOTOUT
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Background
The penalty shootout in football is arguably one of the most significant sporting situations in the world. It occurs when two teams are evenly matched after two hours of a football game to distinguish a winning side (Saran, 2014). Players participating in penalty shootouts often experience anxiety before their turn due to high fans’ expectations and the players’ anticipation to score a goal (Tamimi et al., 2019). During a penalty shootout, one miss may cost the team. That is why every player taking the shot is likely to feel anxious. Such an occasion’s magnitude can affect the performance depending on the player’s ability to handle the situation (Arrondel et al., 2019). Evidence from experienced players reveals that poor penalty kicks are associated with psychological effects, including the inability to think normally or breathe correctly (Brown, 2015). Even under a standardized laboratory setting, the penalty kicks induce cognitive anxiety. Players faced with anxiety during a penalty shootout can perform sub-optimally.
According to Moll et al. (2010), soccer players are constantly subjected to a substantial series of potential psychological demands during the competition. These demands cause the onset of emotions, appraisals, and coping styles which can influence performance behaviors (Bar‐Eli and Azar, 2019). The presence of the spectators poses a salient demand for players accompanied by a stressful situation in a penalty shootout (Raja Abu Bakar Shah, 2020). Authors like Björkstrand and Jern (2013) have acknowledged that increased pressure can result in a footballer’s inability to cope, thus, increasing the chance to miss when taking a penalty. Lazarus’ transactional Cognitive Motivational Rationale Theory (CMRT) helps understand why players fail to deal with stress and emotions that exist upon exposure to the crowd (Ellis and Ward, 2021). This theory also helps determine the impact of this situation on behavior. Understanding these scenarios provides coaches and sports psychologists with the necessary information to enhance performance by implementing relevant coping strategies and programs (Englert and Bertrams, 2012).
Some authors have proposed structured and representative practices to assist players in preparing for penalty shootouts (Englert and Bertrams, 2012). Furley et al. (2017) noted that the absence of such preparation is one of the leading factors behind anxiety during penalty kicks. Wood et al. (2015) identified penalty shootouts as one of the extremely pressurizing situations in soccer. As such, it is imperative to understand the player’s penalty skills. Moreover, Lyttleton (2014) discovered that the possibility of a player to score a penalty after a previous defeat was minimal, whether or not that player was initially part of the team. Furleyet al. (2020b) also indicated that the likelihood of scoring for a side that previously emerged as the winners after penalty kicks were high. These findings indicate that penalty kicks can indeed be a mentally challenging experience that needs in-depth evaluation (Wilson et al...