Author(s): HOOTA, C., LIDOR, R., Institution: THE LEVINSKI-WINGATE ACADEMIC COLLEGE, Country: ISRAEL, Abstract-ID: 439

INTRODUCTION:
The 11-m penalty kick in soccer is one of the tensest moments in competitive sport, particularly for the two players directly involved – the kicker and the goalkeeper. Often, penalty kicks result in the only points scored during the game, thereby determining the outcome. The question of whether penalty kick outcomes are determined by skill, luck, or a psychological battle is an ongoing debate among researchers. Here, we conducted a broad examination of penalty kicks through a review of reviews, a methodological approach that enables the synthesis of knowledge derived from multiple reviews to map a specific body of literature. Despite the growing use of this approach in sport and exercise sciences and the extensive research on soccer penalty kicks, no review of reviews on 11-m penalty kicks in soccer has been published to date. Therefore, the aim of this study was to map existing knowledge by identifying central themes and highlighting knowledge gaps in the literature on soccer penalty kicks.
METHODS:
This review of reviews included 12 literature reviews on 11-m penalty kicks in soccer: nine narrative reviews and three scoping reviews. A search was conducted for peer-reviewed reviews published in English in three databases: Google Scholar, PubMed, and SPORTDiscus. Reviews were selected according to predefined inclusion criteria. The selected reviews addressed various aspects of penalty kicks, including psychological factors and mental preparation, decision-making processes, perceptual–cognitive processes, and execution strategies of kickers and goalkeepers.
RESULTS:
The synthesis emerged from our review identified four central themes in the literature on 11-m penalty kicks in soccer: (1) research methodologies and approaches; (2) perceptual–motor processes; (3) strategies and decision-making; and (4) psychological factors and preparation. Alongside these themes, four major knowledge gaps were identified: (1) limited ecological validity of research designs; (2) insufficient investigations of the interaction between the kicker and the goalkeeper; (3) a limited number of studies focusing on goalkeeper behavior; and (4) limited investigation of psychological aspects using qualitative research approaches.
CONCLUSION:
The existing literature on 11-m penalty kicks in soccer is fragmented across different theoretical and methodological frameworks, limiting the development of an integrated conceptualized understanding of performance, preparation, and the underlying psychological mechanisms. The findings of this review of reviews highlight the need for the adoption of representative research approaches with higher ecological validity, as well as the integration of qualitative methodologies, as a basis for further advancement of knowledge in this field.