Impact of Control on Elite Football Players' Athletic Skills

Abstrak

The current research aimed to explore the relationship between intentional control and mental skills of elite football players in Baghdad Governorate during the 2023/2024 season. Recognizing the significance of mental skills in athletic performance, this study addresses a gap in understanding how intentional control impacts these skills among top-tier athletes. The study utilized a descriptive and correlational research method, involving a sample of 170 players from the Iraqi elite league, representing 86.44% of the total research population. Data were collected using the Intentional Control Scale by Ismail (2022) and the Psychological States Scale by Bell, Benson, and Shambrook (1996), with analysis conducted via SPSS version 25. Results indicated that elite players exhibit high levels of both intentional control and mental skills, with a significant positive correlation between the two. These findings suggest that enhancing intentional control may further improve the mental skills essential for elite football performance.

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