ENG | Mobile phone – How does it influence players and coaches in soccer?

Mobile phone – a tool without which no one can imagine life anymore. However, this thing, used by players all over the world, has an impact on soccer performance, on the mental health of young and adult footballers, and on how it can interfere with coaches’ training processes. Nevertheless, it remains a topic that is not discussed enough. Seemingly, enough attention has been given to the so-called “screen time” topic, which refers to the time spent in front of an electronic screen (TV, computer, etc.). Currently, however, the vast majority of screen time is composed of mobile phone usage.

Mobile phones will also be present in the future. The popularity, reach, and influence of social networks continue to grow, with phones offering more and more entertainment options and ways to spend time through an endless array of available applications. And not just during leisure time. Coaches, whether of amateurs or professionals, 10-year-olds or adults, must now consider the fact that players will spend a significant number of minutes each day looking at their mobile phones.

Psychological risks

Excessive mobile phone usage brings about several negative phenomena that adversely affect a football player’s performance. How can mobile phone usage trigger them? Firstly, it’s important to realize that apart from sleep, using a mobile phone is often the longest activity performed by football players each day. Active mobile phone usage ranges from 2 to 8 hours daily. Using a mobile phone is like a small drug for the human brain, releasing a lot of dopamine in a short time, without any effort or prolonged endeavor. Various activities on mobile devices are designed to attract and maintain our attention by inducing feelings of joy and rewards in a short time. However, this effect doesn’t last long and can stimulate the user to increasingly frequent use. When we look at football as a whole, nothing similar occurs in the training process or during a match. Football is a long-term effort, accompanied by feelings of discomfort and “rewards” in the future. And that’s the problem. Therefore, it’s important to understand in detail what happens in a player’s mind during mobile phone usage and how it affects their sports performance.

Sleep

Using a mobile phone before sleep can disrupt players’ sleep patterns, as the brain, when it’s supposed to slow down and prepare for sleep, receives an excessive amount of stimuli, which can potentially trigger a cascade of negative consequences. Additionally, mobile phone usage triggers pleasurable feelings that are sometimes so strong that a player sacrifices sleep. Thanks to numerous scientific studies, we know that using a mobile phone before sleep inhibits the production of the hormone melatonin, which is responsible for sleep regulation.

Mental fatigue

The term “mental fatigue” refers to a psychobiological state of an individual characterized by feelings of tiredness and lack of energy caused by prolonged exposure to cognitive demands. Scientific literature identifies various adverse effects of mental fatigue not only on physical performance. Moreover, mental fatigue can influence the decision-making abilities of football players. For footballers, being able to quickly react to situations on the field, read the behavior of opponents and teammates, and make accurate tactical decisions is important. When a player is mentally fatigued, these abilities deteriorate. From a psychological perspective, mental fatigue induced by mobile phone usage reduces the athlete’s ability to perceive information, which can negatively impact players’ behavior during the training process or a match.

Attention

Social media, especially the currently most popular ones, are designed to offer users short and entertaining stimuli, typically lasting only a few seconds to a minute. When we consider the training process in football, this phenomenon is not present there, or very rarely, and always requires an element of physical effort.

This format can be interesting and fun, but it can also contribute to a decrease in attention span. Constantly switching between short videos conditions the brain to seek rapid and frequent changes in stimuli, which can hinder focusing on longer and more complex content, especially in a more stable environment. As mentioned earlier, rewards in the form of dopamine for the brain without effort can lead to impatience and difficulties in concentrating on activities that require sustained effort or long-term attention.

Physical problems

While it might seem that a mobile phone is an innocent and common accessory, its excessive use can lead to various physical problems that can affect players’ performance on the field. Spending long hours engrossed in a mobile phone can negatively impact the posture of soccer players, as the improper positioning of the neck and spine during mobile phone use can cause uneven stress on muscles and joints, increasing the risk of back, neck, and shoulder pain. Additionally, repetitive finger movements while operating the mobile phone can lead to muscle and tendon strain in the hands and fingers of soccer players, which is common when typing messages, playing games, or scrolling through social networks. Continuous focus on the small mobile phone screen can also cause eye problems, which can affect soccer players’ ability to react to moving objects on the field. These physical problems require caution and a responsible approach to mobile phone use to minimize their impact on players’ performance.

Conclusion

For coaches nowadays, the mobile phone in the player’s hand poses a significant challenge. Generation Z, or players born after 1997, require a different approach to planning, communication, leadership, and coaching. Young individuals of Generation Z are characterized by being the most educated generation in history. They grew up in a time when digital technology penetrated every aspect of their lives from a young age, enabling them to develop exceptional technological skills. Their educational potential dates back to their earliest years, as they encountered computers, smartphones, and the internet since childhood.

However, along with these advancements, the digital era also brings challenges. The amount of time Generation Z spends on technology raises concerns about shortened attention spans and concentration. Frequent and rapid changes of information on social media and the internet can lead to an increased urge to quickly switch from one thing to another, potentially affecting their ability to focus on tasks that require deeper, long-term thinking and effort outside their comfort zone.

Additionally, for the digital habits of Generation Z, a frequent need for feedback is characteristic. Social media and technology enable quick and instant responses, and young people expect rapid replies and validation in the form of likes, comments, or followers. This constant need for feedback can influence their self-confidence and result in low tolerance for waiting.

It is also important to mention that problem-solving and seeking answers are different for players nowadays. Outside of football, players of this generation can find precise answers to countless questions with just a few clicks. Handling problems and addressing situations on the field independently can pose a much greater challenge for them.

In conclusion, I would like to draw attention to the fact that my online course will soon be available on this platform. In this course, we will focus on the unique challenges in training young players who have grown up in the era of the internet and digital technologies. We will delve into details and explore practical methods to work with this young generation of players, aiming to achieve optimal results and support their football development. The information provided in the course is based on my research at the University of Jyväskylä (Finland) and the latest scientific studies.