FOOTIE stars are “super-clever”, according to a study — putting an end to stereotypes of stupidity.
They have “exceptional cognitive abilities” and are better at mental planning, focus, memory and decision-making.
GettyFootball players are ‘super-clever’, a study claims[/caption]
This is honed by working out when to pass, dribble or shoot while quickly predicting what other players will do.
Teams from Oxford University and Sweden’s Karolinska Institute compared 204 top-flight male and female players from Sweden and Brazil to 124 regular people.
Writing in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Dr Petrovic said: “Our study demonstrates that elite soccer players significantly outperformed others in memory, problem-solving and planning tasks.
“The ability to plan several steps ahead in a quickly changing environment may be one of the most crucial processes.
“Being an elite player may not solely depend on athletic capacities and instead, it may be crucial to have a deep understanding of the game, process information quickly, and make decisions faster than others.”
Dr Petrovic added: “They might have a superior ability to perform under pressure.”
Similar studies have found above-average intelligence in other athletes including volleyball, basketball, chess and ice hockey players, as well as in elite musicians.
Study co-author Professor Leonardo Bonetti, from Oxford University, said footballers might keep their unintelligent reputation because many are not book-smart.
He added: “Even if they are clever, they are not educated – most stop at high school, possibly before.
“This might be related to lower knowledge, not lower intelligence.”
Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
