title: Color of soccer goalkeepers' uniforms influences the outcome of penalty kicks.
abstract: This study examined the proposition that competing against red-clad opponents hinders the performance of soccer (football) athletes. 40 experienced players took 10 penalty kicks against a goalkeeper wearing a black jersey and, 1 week later, took 10 penalty kicks against a goalkeeper wearing either a red, green, blue, or yellow jersey. Prior to each set of kicks, participants reported their expectancy of success. Players facing red-clad goalkeepers scored on fewer penalty kicks than those facing either blue- or green-clad goalkeepers, but no differences in expectancy of success emerged. The findings indicate that athletes wearing red may have an advantage over their opponents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, College Lane, University of Chichester, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 6PE, UK. i.greenlees@chi.ac.uk
authors.forename: Iain A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Greenlees
authors.affiliation: University of the West of Scotland.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eynon
authors.affiliation: University of Portsmouth.
authors.forename: Richard C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Thelwell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001143:Arousal; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000523:psychology*; D001288:Attention; D003020:Clothing; D003118:Color Perception; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D012916:Soccer / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult