Controlling competitive anxiety in football: 10 essential techniques

Football is a sport that demands much more than physical and technical skills; it also requires great mental control. Competitive anxiety, which often appears before or during matches, can negatively affect players’ performance if not managed properly. At SIA Academy, an integral approach has been developed so that footballers learn to manage this anxiety and compete at the highest level with emotional balance. According to José Luis, the academy’s sports psychologist, “anxiety is not an enemy but a signal that invites us to prepare better. The key is how we manage it so it doesn’t control us.”

Below are the 10 fundamental techniques applied at SIA Academy to control competitive anxiety in football, combining mental, physical, and emotional training.

1. Diaphragmatic breathing: calm the body to calm the mind

When anxiety settles in, the body reacts with tension, increased heart rate, and shallow breathing. Teaching players to breathe deeply from the diaphragm is one of the most effective methods to reduce this physiological activation. José Luis comments, “Three minutes of abdominal breathing, before and during the match, can radically change the player’s emotional state, helping them regain control and improve concentration.”

This simple exercise, if turned into a routine, acts as a quick and accessible tool to lower anxiety at any moment.

2. Positive visualization: training the mind with images of success

The mind does not distinguish between what is experienced and what is imagined. Therefore, practicing positive visualization allows players to anticipate game situations and face them with confidence. José Luis explains, “When a footballer visualizes themselves making good decisions or scoring goals, they prepare their brain to repeat those actions on the field with greater security.”

This technique also helps neutralize negative thoughts, creating a sense of control and mastery over the game.

3. Pre-competition routines: creating emotional anchors of stability

Pre-match routines are rituals that provide security and reduce uncertainty. They can include listening to a specific song, performing a personalized warm-up, or practicing concentration exercises. “These routines generate a favorable emotional state because the player knows what to expect and how to prepare,” says José Luis.

Moreover, they help avoid external distractions and focus the mind on the task ahead.

4. Positive self-talk: changing language to change the mind

What we say to ourselves directly influences our emotions and behaviors. Therefore, it is essential to replace self-critical or negative thoughts with affirmations that reinforce confidence. “Phrases like ‘I am prepared,’ ‘I trust my work,’ or ‘I can handle the pressure’ are key to maintaining calm and motivation,” affirms the psychologist.

This functional self-talk is consciously trained so that, in pressure situations, the player can calm down and stay focused.

5. Anchoring technique: a gesture to recover mental balance

Anchoring is a technique that associates a physical gesture with a positive emotion, such as calm or confidence. For example, clenching the fist while thinking of a successful moment can serve to activate that feeling during the match. José Luis points out, “This little ‘mental switch’ becomes a powerful tool to control anxiety in high-pressure situations.”

Training this gesture makes the positive emotional response automatic when it’s most needed.

6. Realistic and process-focused goals

Anxiety often arises from pressure to achieve immediate results. Therefore, it is advisable to set clear, attainable goals related to specific aspects of performance, such as “maintain concentration” or “make accurate passes.” “When players focus on goals that depend on them, uncertainty and anxiety decrease,” explains José Luis.

This approach also improves motivation and the perception of control over the game.

7. Mindfulness: being present to reduce anxiety

The practice of mindfulness or full attention teaches players to focus on the present moment, observing their thoughts or emotions without judgment. According to José Luis, “Being fully in the play that is happening, and not in past or future mistakes, reduces mental rumination and allows acting more effectively.”

Incorporating brief mindfulness exercises into the daily routine helps develop this mental capacity.

8. Filtering external expectations: focus on oneself, not on the noise

Many young players feel additional emotional burden from the expectations of parents, coaches, or followers on social media. Learning to recognize and filter these external expectations is essential for the player to maintain balance. “What others think can influence, but it should not define how a footballer feels or plays,” emphasizes José Luis.

This learning promotes emotional autonomy and strengthens the player’s self-esteem.

9. Cognitive reframing: transforming fear of error into opportunity

Changing the way errors are interpreted is fundamental to reducing anxiety. Instead of thinking “If I fail, everything is lost,” the goal is to adopt a more flexible view, such as “An error is an opportunity to learn and improve.” José Luis highlights that “this cognitive reframing relieves the pressure the player feels and prepares them to keep trying with confidence.”

This approach helps face competition as a growth process.

10. Constant psychological training: mental discipline for performance

Finally, José Luis stresses that mental work must be integrated into the training routine, just like physical or tactical training. “It is not about intervening only in crisis moments but about strengthening the mind daily so anxiety does not take control when pressure arrives.”

At SIA Academy, this philosophy translates into regular mental preparation sessions that are part of the player’s integral development.

Competitive anxiety is a common experience among footballers of all ages, but it should not be an obstacle to reaching maximum performance. The techniques used by SIA Academy, guided by José Luis’s experience, offer a path for players to understand, accept, and manage that anxiety, transforming it into a source of motivation and concentration.

As José Luis concludes:
“A mentally strong footballer is not one who never feels anxiety, but one who knows how to respond and use it to their advantage.”

This balance between body and mind is, without a doubt, one of the keys to forming champions on and off the field.

La entrada Controlling competitive anxiety in football: 10 essential techniques se publicó primero en International Football Academy Soccer Interaction in Spain - Academia de fútbol.