Planet Money · Friday, July 3, 2026
Game theory, when applied to soccer penalty kicks, suggests that players should not always shoot to their dominant side, but instead use a mixed strategy to remain unpredictable. This concept aims to exploit an opponent's predictability, a strategy pioneered by economist Ignacio Palacios-Huerta.
“And so what you have to do is sometimes, even though your chances of scoring are lower, you actually want to shoot to your worst side.”
“And that's what's called in game theory a mixed strategy.”
“And so the best strategy for the goalkeeper is to dive to his left or right, at random.”