Partnership with ATHLETES IN MIND

A shared commitment to mental health in sports: We’re partnering to further develop the initiative ATHLETES IN MIND, an initiative that provides athletes with initial mental health guidance from professionals with elite sports experience, as well as educational resources and recommendations to further expert care.

Founded in 2021 by former elite athletes and mental-health professionals Dr. Petra Dallmann and Dr. Brit Wilsdorf ATHLETES IN MIND combines first-hand experience in high-performance sport with clinical expertise. Athletes can reach out anonymously for an initial consultation – and, if needed, be connected with specialized mental-health services.

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New paper: Expected ball gain and expected possession value in Bundesliga

In elite football, a single decisive moment can determine the outcome of a match, with significant economic implications for teams. As a result, substantial resources are invested in objectively assessing player performance to gain a competitive edge. While physical, technical, psychological, and tactical facets all contribute to match performance, tactical behavior—particularly during transitions—plays a crucial role in a team’s success.

Tactical actions always involve both risk and reward, especially during the chaotic transition phases following ball gains or losses. These moments can have a profound impact on match outcomes, as player decisions during transitions shape both offensive and defensive strategies. Our study, conducted by Leander Forcher, Leon Forcher, Stefan Altmann, and Alexander Woll in collaboration with KIT, analyzes the risks and rewards of transitions using official tracking and event data from 612 Bundesliga matches across the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons.

To objectively evaluate these situations, we developed two machine learning models based on over 30 expert-driven features: an expected possession value (EPV) model, which predicts the probability of the ball-gaining team scoring in the following seconds, and an expected ball gain (xBG) model, which estimates the likelihood of the ball-losing team regaining possession. By combining both models, we can quantify the risk and reward of match situations for both teams and provide a detailed analysis of tactical strategies and individual player decision-making.

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Third Place at the FeMaLe Research Award for Our Mental Health Study in Women’s and Girls’ Football

We are proud to announce that our research on mental health in women’s and girls’ football was awarded third place at the “FeMaLe” Research Award by the Federal Institute for Sports Science (BISp). The award, presented by Minister of State for Sport and Volunteering Dr. Christiane Schenderlein and BISp Director Andrea Schumacher, recognizes outstanding achievements in sports science and effective communication of research findings.

Our team aims to close the gender data gap in sports. In our large-scale study involving over 500 female footballers in Germany, we examined gender differences in symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as underlying factors such as personality traits. Our findings highlight the increased risks and challenges faced by female athletes.

We remain committed to advancing gender-sensitive research and raising awareness of mental health in women’s and girls’ football. Through targeted studies, we strive to better understand and address the specific needs of female athletes.

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New paper: Leading through performance crises in professional soccer

Performance crises are a recurring reality in professional soccer. Coaches operate in a highly volatile environment, facing intense pressure from fans, media, and club management to deliver results. Frequent coach dismissals and constant changes are common, with significant consequences not only for coaches themselves but also for players, who must continually adapt to new leadership and expectations. These periods of underperformance can trigger psychological distress and create a self-reinforcing cycle that further intensifies the crisis.

During such challenging times, coaches play a crucial role. Their strategies and behaviors can either help teams recover or exacerbate the situation. Managing a performance crisis requires balancing external pressures, team dynamics, and individual psychological processes, all while maintaining focus on team performance and well-being.

In our published study, we explore how professional soccer coaches navigate these high-pressure moments. This research was conducted in collaboration with the Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT) and their research team: Darko Jekauc, Constantin Rausch, and Julian Fritsch.

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𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽: 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱!

Our colleague Steffen Barthel, Research Scientist at TSG ResearchLab, recently participated as a keynote speaker at the Talent Development Summit 2025 in Graz, organized by skills.lab by Anton Paar. Steffen presented his latest research on perceptual-cognitive performance in football, focusing on the diagnostics of perception and decision-making.

In his keynote, “Perception and Decision-Making: A Comparison of VR and 360° Technologies,” Steffen compared players’ visual behavior in immersive environments using both 360° screens and VR headsets. His findings offer valuable insights into how these technologies influence gaze behavior and decision-making on the pitch, with practical implications for diagnostics and training.

We thank skills.lab by Anton Paar for the invitation and the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions with experts from around the world. The summit provided a valuable platform for sharing new perspectives on talent development in football.

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