Professional footballers have a collection of rituals, superstitions, and ways to get them hyped up for a big game. We’ve seen how nutrition, sports science, and hyper-focused strategic breakdowns are also used to try and maximize chances of winning. Some of these approaches have proven to be effective, but ultimately, it depends on the player and their personality.
We’ve seen players like Haaland leverage social media. In fact, if we’re talking about winners off the pitch, Haaland has become a viral brand following the World Cup, perhaps more so than any other player, with his escapades gaining huge popularity and hundreds of millions of people across the US and China.
For other footballers, they prefer the quiet life, sitting back, chilling, and, in the case of Martin Ødegaard, having a game of poker, but how influential has this been in manifesting into Arsenal’s success over the last few years?
Haaland’s Norwegian teammate and our iconic captain, Martin Ødegaard, is known for his composure and ability to perform in big situations. Over the last few seasons, we’ve seen him take to his socials, posting pictures of himself playing poker with fellow midfielder Kai Havertz, and for some, the correlation is no coincidence.
While playing poker and casino gaming, in a more general sense, can often be a topic of discussion with management and senior players, there is an argument that those who can master strategy, bluffing, and reading body language can carry that skill set into a big-game environment and bolster their performance.
Football is often marketed as a simple game, but all too often we see teams who should be winning, on paper, fall short. Not many picked Spain to beat France in the World Cup semi-final, and in the other semi-final, England and Argentina were touted as a 50/50. However, in the end, it could have easily finished 4-1 or 5-1 to Argentina because they have an indomitable collective spirit, although it does also help if you have Lionel Messi in the team, too.
We saw in the 2022 World Cup that Argentina were not favorites; in fact, not many people picked them to get to the final again before the 2026 World Cup – but they proved time and time again they can battle against adversity. Egypt scraped past Australia, only to have victory snatched away from them by an Argentina team that simply doesn’t give up.
But where does poker come into play? There are many similarities. High-stakes, understanding opponent psyche, and knowing how to weigh up multiple factors to gain the edge and come out on top.
At Ignition Australia, for example, this market has adapted to the modern demands of global poker, allowing people to play against international players and use contemporary payment methods such as cryptocurrency. While the elements of bluffing and psyching out may not be as prominent, it’s the players who can keep a cool head who walk away victorious.
We’ve seen how other pro athletes such as Michael Jordan have a penchant for poker, so it is not a surprise that the elite, and those who refuse to finish second at any cost, often gravitate toward the game.
Martin’s current deal locks him down until the summer of 2028, but following Arsenal’s first historic league title in over two decades, it’s likely that, if he keeps performing, he is going to spend many more years steering the ship as captain.
As is often the case with any championship-winning side, the victory is down to the manager and the sum of the individual parts rather than any one person. Arteta has been biding his time for years; he’s reshaped the philosophy at Arsenal, and while the “bottlers” label was a difficult one to shake for some time, particularly on social media, that has now been put to bed.
Football on social media can provide insight into how fans see the game, and it can be an incredibly effective marketing tool to bring people on board, ranging from interactive post ideas you can see below to full-scale highlight videos. However, it’s crucial to remember that it’s the mentality of the players on the pitch that counts most, and, in the modern age, there is more intrigue in how they operate off the pitch; it’s a careful balancing act.
Choosing to play highly strategic games during downtime offers valuable insight into a professional’s overall approach. Look at the England national team over the years: great talents, but how they operated off the pitch and their hubris often contributed to their downfall.
Wayne Rooney did not live the life of an athlete, leading to an early retirement, and we have seen how this has bled into his management career, where his work ethic has been called into question. Paul Gascoigne is often eulogized as a demigod of the English game, but he did not get close to the level he is often marketed at. The actual elite players have this bulletproof mentality on and off the pitch – consummate pros in every way.
Wenger changed a lot of this initially at Arsenal, telling players to cut down on unhealthy habits, and it revolutionized the squad. It’s more widespread and understood in the modern game, but it’s no surprise to see players who live the life and understand strategy often emerge as the best in the EPL.
Arteta, in the modern age, is clearly a tactician, using chess analogies, and it’s the strategic approach to games. That has helped him devise plans and angles that other squads can’t match.
Eze is a great chess player, as is Zubimendi, and while it may be argued that it could be a reach to attach chess and poker gaming to an elite mindset, it’s better to think of it as a jigsaw puzzle. Players who understand the long run, strategy, and how to think two or three steps ahead of their opponent can integrate that onto the pitch, too.
Obviously, it also takes a significant amount of skill to even be in the conversation as potential EPL winners. Once you reach this level, though, it can be the marginal differences that ultimately matter, whether it’s strengthening a strategy off the pitch, living the life, or understanding your brain, thus allowing you to make better decisions in the big games – all the pieces matter.
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