Goalies tend to dive right in World Cup penalty shoot-outs when their team is behind ... why?
Tuesday, July 12, 2011 - 16:30
in Psychology & Sociology
In the quarterfinal of the 2006 Soccer World Cup, England and Portugal played for 90 tense minutes and 30 minutes extra time without a single goal being scored. This led them to a penalty shoot-out; as one by one, players went against the opposing team's goalie. After four shots by each team, Portugal was ahead 2-1. Portugal's star Cristiano Ronaldo shot to English goalkeeper Paul Robinson's left, but Robinson dove right. Portugal scored, won the game, and went on to the semifinal. When Robinson dove to his right, he was making a common choice for our right-oriented brains, according to a new study.