World Cup Shootout Goalies Favor Right When Behind, Study Says

Goalkeepers tend to dive right when their soccer team is trailing in a World Cup penalty shootout, according to a study to be published in the Psychological Science journal.

Researchers at the University of Amsterdam examined every penalty shootout at the four-yearly championship from 1982 to 2010 and found that most of the time, goalkeepers are equally likely to dive right and left. When the goalie’s team was behind, he was more likely to go right, the study showed.