Psychological momentum in football: the impact of a last-minute equalizer in a knock-out match

Abstract

What could be the impact of a last-minute equalizer on players’ psychological momentum (PM) in a high-stake, knock-out football match? In the current study, 86 competitive male players were asked to imagine that they were playing in a cup final in which they were trailing 1–0 or leading 1–0. Subsequently, participants watched a video clip in which their team or the opponent team scored the equalizer either in the 61st minute or 92nd minute (i.e., last-minute) of regular playing time. Participants indicated their PM after the equalizer. Although the situation became objectively neutral (1–1), results showed that PM was higher when players’ own team scored than when the opponent team did. More importantly, the equalizer had a particularly big impact on PM when the goal was scored last-minute. These results provide a better understanding of PM processes in football, and may explain the euphoria or despair of football players after a last-minute equalizer in a high-stake match.