ABSTRACT
The ability to attend to relevant cues, anticipate[Q2] what will happen next, generate plausible options and choose the best option from the decision-making process, and differentiate high- and low-level players is the key to successful decision making. The psychological skills needed to make optimal decisions and perform consistently at the elite level in soccer include both individual and team components. Individually, factors such as self-efficacy, motivation, attention, regulation and readiness to return to play from injury all contribute to the decision-making process and to achieving expertise. These individual psychological skills can be improved and optimized using various techniques and guidelines based on scientific research evidence. More complex factors that are essential for achieving team expertise include cohesion, communication, coordination and shared mental models. Although team psychological factors haven’t been examined as much as individual factors, key techniques to improve team performance are starting to be introduced. Working with players on psychological skills on the field during training is essential for improving decision-making skills and for player’s buy-in. Two examples of how to integrate cognitive factors in training are provided. Although there is growing research in the area, there is still a gap between the knowledge gained from research and the application of the knowledge on the field by coaches and practitioners in general. Thus, collaborations among coaches, medical personal, players, researchers and sport psychologists are needed to move the field forward.
