What Footballers Can Learn from Elite Poker Players
Football and poker may seem worlds apart. In reality, they are closely linked in many ways. You can only be good at both games if you can mix an elite level of skill with the right mental approach.
The mental skills required to be a great poker player are transferable to the world of poker. For any footballer looking to improve their game, mastering these skills can allow you to better analyze the game and stay focused.
Both poker and football have a history stretching back centuries. If you learn how to play poker to a high level, then you may improve your attributes in other areas. Here is what football players can learn from poker.
Mastering Mental Resilience
One aspect that separates elite football players from the rest is their mental resilience. This is a skill that can be improved by playing poker. In order to make the right decisions time and time again, you need to have a high level of emotional control.
In football and poker, there are going to be times when things don’t go your way. In football, it may be conceding via a huge deflection. In poker, it may be a run of bad hands that you can do very little with.
In both instances, you need to recover quickly and move forward. You can’t let your future decisions be affected by what has just happened. Poker teaches you how you immediately need to clear your head after a setback.
In football, it can be easy to lose confidence. A misplaced pass may stop you from attempting an assist when you next get the ball. Poker teaches you that you can only control what’s in your power and that you can’t let setbacks drag you down.
Decision-Making Under Pressure
An area where poker can improve you in day-to-day life is in decision-making. Not only do you have to make the right call under pressure, but many poker games are now timed. That means you have to make your decision quickly.
It’s rarely based on impulse, either. Poker players need to weigh the odds and read the situation in a matter of seconds. There is a constant balance of risk and reward. It’s a balance that the best players will get right more often than not, even with huge money on the line.
On a football pitch, similar pressure can be applied. Whether you’re picking a corner for a shot or you’re a deep-lying playmaker needing to make a pass while being pressed, you have to train yourself to think clearly.
Playing poker at a high level shows how you can overcome overthinking. Instead, you stay calm, analyze the options, and trust the process. Neymar loves poker and it’s this ability to think clearly that helped make him such a great player. Whether it was knowing when to hit a shot first time or dribbling past a defender’s weak side, he got it right almost all the time.
The Art of Reading Opponents
One of the most underrated attributes in football is the ability to read your opponent. The best players will not only be able to focus on what they are doing, but also on what moves others are making. This includes being able to identify patterns of behavior.
For example, a defender may realize an attacker is always trying to take them on down the same side. Some players can be guilty of not making these adjustments. This can lead to slow reaction times and bad choices.
In poker, you need to look for these patterns all the time. Your opponent may have predictable betting behaviors that you can take advantage of. Poker teaches you how to always be aware of the game others are playing, along with your own.
There is the other side to this, too. In poker and in football, you have to learn how to be unpredictable. This can sometimes mean going against your instincts just to keep the opponent guessing. Going outside of your comfort zone can open up later opportunities.
Elite Focus Level
Poker players can sit for hours at a time. During these sessions, there may be long periods where big opportunities aren’t forthcoming. You have to stay focused so that when the time comes, you have the mental clarity to make the right call.
There are often distractions as well. At a table tournament, there may be crowd noise, rowdy players, or flashing lights. When playing at home, you can be interrupted or distracted by your phone.
In poker and football, you have to learn to be fully present. Being switched off at the wrong time can be costly. Knowing this, it’s no surprise Gerard Piqué is such a good poker player. He was switched on at all times, meaning attackers could never take advantage of a lapse in concentration.
The physical talent needed to be a top football player can’t be denied. However, to get your game to the next level, you also need to have the right set of mental skills. Getting to a high level of poker can give you transferable skills that you can not only use in football but also in other areas of your life.