Overcoming Obstacles in Soccer
Do difficult circumstances negatively affect your performance on the soccer field?
Is it hard for you to overcome obstacles and focus on your game?
Defeatism affects many athletes who focus on their struggles instead of their potential.
Have you ever approached a soccer game or tournament where you focused on negative circumstances (playing a more talented team, being demoted on the depth chart, a volatile coach) and just resigned yourself to losing?
During difficult times, your emotions become intense and you become overwhelmed with negative thoughts…
You become short-sighted and see no end to your difficult circumstances…
Your will to win and desire to overcome obstacles becomes severely wounded and it becomes difficult to focus on the task at hand.
Resiliency is a term used to describe an athlete or team’s ability to bounce back.
Resilient athletes refuse to give up or back down.
Resilient athletes fight on and use adversity as a means to raise their level of play.
Resilient athletes are determined to find a way to move closer to their goals.
The Mexican National Soccer Team is competing in the 2014 World Cup despite some difficult circumstances.
Mexico compiled a 2-3-5 win-lose-draw record in World Cup qualifying last year and barely made it into the biggest international soccer tournament. Mexico failed to score in half of its qualifying games.
During that 10 game qualifying span, the Mexico Soccer Federation had a revolving door of personnel including four coaches and about 50 players.
Mexico’s coach Miguel Herrera has challenged his team to “make history” raising their expectations at the World Cup.
Mexico was resilient in their 1-0 victory over Cameroon in their opening World Cup game. A couple of controversial offside rulings negated two scores by Mexico in the first half but Mexico kept their focus, fought hard and scored about an hour into the game.
HERRERA: “We never gave a thought to the referee at halftime. What we said to the boys is that we had to be concentrated at all times. They never lost the attitude and we always had the result in our mind.”
Mexico’s fighting spirit and positive attitude are a result of Herrera’s belief in his team.
HERRERA: “We have a team that can be world champions. We are convinced of this.”
Mexico resiliency will be challenged as they seek to beat powerhouse Brazil in their next match.
“The game against Brazil will be very different from the one against Cameroon. We’re playing against the favorites. We’ll try to keep the control of the ball and we will not come out for the draw. We’ll be looking for the win,” said Herrera.
Try these tips to develop your resiliency and challenge yourself to new heights:
- Develop a never-give-up mentality. You create your history in the present. Keep pushing forward… “Now” could be the time you turn the momentum in your favor.
- Look at tough circumstances as challenges to rise above… Challenge yourself to find a way to move closer to your goals. Write down 3 specific things you need to accomplish in practice to help you stay focused on solutions instead of problems.
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Soccer Confidence: Mental Toughness Strategies For a Competitive Edge
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7 ‘Costly’ Mental Game Mistakes That Block Soccer Players’ Success
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Mental Game Coaching for Soccer Players
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