The psychologist analyzed the huge evolution of Lionel Messi, the “father” of PSG and the Argentine team.

Athletes of the highest level retain throughout their careers hunger for victorybut this motivation also develops and is related to other problems, as has been done, for example, Lionel Messiwho remains a natural competitor but at the last World Cup he changed his style and became the “father” of his teammates.

EFE psychologist told about it Juan Carlos Campillo who is the Coordinator of the Master’s Degree in Coaching and Sports Psychology at the International University of La Rioja (UNIR), where he shares his experience with great sports figures.

Campillo was a psychologist for the multi-sport teams with whom he attended World, European and Olympic Gamesand on an individual level, he has worked with, among others, the Spanish Olympic badminton champion and world champion. Carolina Marine.

Although he cannot name some names, on an individual level he has worked with football players – he has also been in Spain squad at the 2018 World Cup– from the three semi-finalist teams of the last World Cup: Argentina, Morocco and France.

He knows from his experience of working with highly competitive athletes that the first thing that comes to mind when winning a tournament like the World Cup is “satisfaction, relaxation and liberation”and at this point they should pay attention to the “negative part” that can come with this victory: “That you don’t train as much as you used to or don’t take care of yourself at the same level.”

However, “this is not what happens to those who are born to compete in their disciplines” such as Lionel Messi, Fernando Alonso or Cristiano Ronaldo. “those who have won everything or almost everything in their sport and achieved it because they are hungry, thirsty and want to be the bestand after the victory they return to full-fledged training, because they want to keep this line, ”he said.

The “unusual” have two types of motivation: extrinsic, “associated with external factors such as recognition, performance, or title”, and intrinsic, “which is associated with the pleasure of doing what you do, having fun, wanting to improve yourself or prolong your maximum state of form.”

Lionel Messi, “father” of the team

For him, Lionel Messi is an example of the evolution of these two types of motivation.since it happened lately “To get motivated, to get others to play, to contribute to the team, or to get the team to respect you and see you as a referenceAnd this is what he showed at the World Cup when he acted like “father” of his comrades.

The family, he pointed out, is “very important and fundamental” because “These athletes need a haven that gives them peace of mind where they can be themselves because the rest of the time they are public figures.”

“Family balance allows you to deal with that pressure of a character, idol or legend, and allows you to be a normal person,” he elaborated, but when they play their sport, “they wear it.” the concept of a family on the playing field” as “this was seen with Messi acting not like another player but like his father” as “that’s what his kids need”.

The Argentine star, he added, has also demonstrated several times that he is a religious person, and in this case “Faith can be an important motivating factor because it makes an athlete feel grateful and accountable for what they have achieved.” and “which at the same time does not allow him to relax.”

The need for personal balance

In any case, he noted, athletes of this level need to be trained.surrounded by a “good team” that “demands and helps them” and in this team there should be “someone who provides personal balance, who cooperates in the management emotions and ego” because “they need to be aware that today they are very good, and the next they are very bad.”

He also emphasized the importance the presence of a person who helps them achieve personal balance, manage emotions, ego and not believe “very bad today and very good tomorrow.”

One of the tasks of these professionals, like himself, is to advise athletes on the way from a high level to a lower one.

Thus, Campillo has generally detailed when high-level footballers or athletes move from top competitions to other lower-level competitions. “They see it as a step back in their careers” and “in fact, most only do it when they feel they are not capable of competing on the best stages in the world.”

However, he tells them that they can “use other motives to stay in the elite” whether they compete at their best or not. “being a benchmark for society” and “it means having a responsibility that forces you to put in the effort and keep your ego and humility in place,” he concluded.

Author: EFE
Source: La Opinion

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