Sydney, June 29 (IANS) Wonder how star soccer players like Ronaldo and Beckham dazzle fans with their intricate footwork and amazing ball control? Their skill is just as important, if not more important, than athletic ability, according to a recent study.
Being in peak physical condition undoubtedly helps, yet few actually believe that intense physical training alone can turn an average player into a Ronaldo.

Robbie Wilson of the University of Queensland (UQ) set out to pinpoint factors that go into making a stellar performance in soccer.

“Our studies could help to streamline selection criteria and efficiency by providing a rank ordering of individuals based upon competitive one-on-one tasks,” said Wilson.

Members of the quasi-professional UQ Football Club (UQFC) were recruited as experimental subjects, and made to compete against one another in one-on-one football and tennis games, which require similar athletic and skill sets.

The same players were evaluated for overall athleticism and skill in 16 different tasks. “There was no evidence of any correlations between maximal athletic performance and skill,” explained Wilson.

“Our studies suggest that skill is just as important, if not more important, than athletic ability in determining performance of complex traits, such as performance on the football field.”

Wilson presented his findings at the annual meeting of the Society of Experimental Biology in Glasgow (UK) on Sunday.