ABSTRACT
Technological development has produced better equipment, such as faster balls and more efficient boots. It has improved injury prevention and training methods to aid soccer players in enhancing performance. However, in specific situations, such as the penalty kick, technological advances may overwhelm the possibilities of human skills. For example, a faster ball could be kicked in such a way that no professional goalkeeper could reach it in time no matter how skilled and well trained. There is motivation, therefore, to investigate in advance individual performance limits and the variables that affect it, which is also important for player selection and training. Focusing on the penalty kick situation, developing complete enough methods to investigate all the variables involved is a complex challenge that is receiving growing attention in the scientific literature.
