Planet Money · Friday, July 3, 2026
The application of game theory in soccer penalty kicks reveals that predictable strategies by either the kicker or the goalkeeper can be exploited. While economists initially doubted the practical use of mixed strategies, soccer players demonstrate an ability to be unpredictable when stakes are high.
“And your opponent, of course, is trying to anticipate your strategy.”
“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.”
“Footballers, professional footballers, turn out to be very good at picking those random sequences.”