The Science of a Soccer Miracle

By Carlos Cunha

To the uninitiated, it might seem unlikely that a striker could ever miss the goal, so big is it. The reason he so often does miss is, of course, that he is aiming at a space much smaller than the goal – that which is left between the posts and the possible reach of the goalkeeper, a space that can be no larger than a basket in basketball. His shot is also, of course, influenced by various tensions or pressures: those created by onrushing defenders and teammates calling for the ball, by his wish to avoid the goalkeeper’s zone and the area outside the goal, by his own speed and inclination, etc. Considering all that is at work to distort his shot, it does seem something of a miracle that he ever does score. Not surprisingly, soccer is seen as a sport of miracles, in which the miracle is what is awaited. Hence, perhaps, its especial popularity in Catholic countries.