How Elite Athletes Manage Pressure Before Big Events
Cristiano Ronaldo free-kick for Portugal - Getty Images/Charles McQuillan
Written By: Matthew Pinchak
Mental preparation—like visualization and routine—is as critical as physical training when it comes to performing under pressure.
Emotional regulation tools, including breathwork and mindset reframing, help athletes shift from anxiety to clarity in high-stakes moments.
Building a performance-first mindset means focusing on controllable actions and building confidence through consistent preparation.
Real-world examples, like Cristiano Ronaldo’s set piece routine, show how elite athletes apply these techniques in live scenarios.
Pressure is inevitable, but it doesn’t have to derail performance—with the right tools, it can be your advantage.
What to Consider When Reading
Think about how pressure typically affects your own performance and what tools you currently rely on to manage it.
Reflect on whether your current routine prepares you mentally as well as physically for competition.
Introduction
In elite sport, the stakes don’t get any higher than those decisive must win games. Whether it’s a best of 7 series, championship final or a “win and in” qualifier, these moments are not just physically demanding. They are mentally charged as well, where a single lapse in focus can separate the winners from the rest of them.
Behind the scenes, athletes are not only battling fierce opponents but also the weight of expectations from coaches, fans, media, and most importantly, themselves. The psychological toll can be immense with racing thoughts, fear of failure, and the pressure to deliver peak performance on command. These are common challenges when handling pressure in sport.
Yet, while pressure is unavoidable, elite athletes don’t leave their mental game to chance. They train their minds just as they train their bodies, using specific, evidence-based mental skills to manage nerves and keep their composure. These sport psychology tips are a key part of their competitive toolkit.
In this blog, we’ll explore the key strategies elite athletes use to thrive under pressure from visualization and routine-building to reframing and emotional regulation so you can learn how to perform at your best when it matters most and develop a stronger competition mindset.
Mental Preparation Starts Well Before Game Day
Alexander Graham Bell once said “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success”. While Mr. Bell wasn’t an athlete, his words still bear truth in the world of athletics. A key component of achieving success in a high pressure situation is preparation. Physically, you’ve been training all season. Every practice, scrimmage and game has played a part in your journey to get to this moment. However, with the most important game of your life around the corner, the physical preparation is only half the battle. Mental preparation ensures you are ready for the pressure that comes with being a high performer under the spotlight. Handling pressure in sport starts well before the whistle blows.
Visualization and Mental Rehearsal
Visualization and mental rehearsal are critical steps that an athlete can take to prepare for their event. Visualization can range from mentally running through their performance to build confidence and reduce uncertainty to simply imagining the light, sound and overall atmosphere of a fan packed stadium. Athletes can use mental rehearsal to anticipate different situations and plan responses known as scenario based visualisation. These sport psychology tips can help reduce stress and anxiety to ensure that the athlete is getting the most out of their performance.
Establishing Pre-Performance Routines
Established routines help athletes feel grounded and in control. Superstitions such as putting equipment on in a certain order or feeling the grass as you walk out on the pitch can limit the pressure of the moment. By following the same routine you have before every other game, you can reduce the feeling of the high pressure game to that of every other game. This is because these rituals create a sense of familiarity amidst the unpredictability of competition. Following your own unique routine will get your mind exactly where it needs to be to excel when the game kicks off and is essential to building a competition mindset.
Mastering Emotional Regulation Under Pressure
Breathing and Grounding Techniques
Actively practicing controlled, slow breathing can reduce the physical, and subsequently emotional, symptoms of anxious pressure. Many athletes use breathing techniques to calm the nervous system and regain focus in high-arousal moments. This action can help in shifting from anxiety to clarity giving yourself the mental headspace required to perform and execute. By anchoring attention to the breath, athletes create a moment of stillness that interrupts racing thoughts and emotional spirals. Over time, consistent breathwork can also build resilience, making it easier making it easier when handling pressure in sport becomes critical.
Reframing the Stress Response
Stress and anxiety are often viewed as negative symptoms of everyday life, however, especially in sport, stress and anxiety are good for you, in moderation of course. When managed well, these internal signals can act as performance enhancers rather than barriers. Stress heightens alertness, sharpens focus, and prepares the body for action by activating the sympathetic nervous system. Meanwhile, a certain level of anxiety can actually indicate that an athlete cares deeply about the outcome, which can be channelled into motivation, effort, and intensity. Choosing to interpret your nerves as excitement rather than fear and pressure as a sign of readiness, not weakness can shift your mindset during tough moments, letting yourself know that you are prepared for whatever comes your way.
Ronaldo’s Set Piece Pressure Management
Cristiano Ronaldo is revered as one of the greatest soccer players to ever walk the earth. Praised for his exceptional skill, he is also renowned for his mental resilience throughout his career. Responsible for several comebacks and a plethora of last minute goals, Ronaldo is the perfect example of pressure management in big games, but specifically, set pieces.
Below is Ronaldo’s iconic stance before taking a free kick or penalty where he uses some of the strategies we’ve talked about already. In an eerily identical pattern, when awarded a free kick or penalty, Ronaldo places the ball, measures his run up and then briefly closes his eyes. While we cannot be certain, I’d like to say that he visualizes the ball going through it’s trajectory and scoring. He takes a deep breath, shrugging his shoulders and then relaxing them again, helping him remain physiologically grounded while remaining in his routine stance. Ronaldo, then opens his eyes and takes the free kick as he’s envisioned.
In the 2024 Euro’s, Portugal played Slovenia in the Round of 16. In extra time, Portugal was awarded a penalty which, if scored, would put Portugal ahead 1-0. With no hesitation, Ronaldo stepped up to take the penalty, going through his aforementioned routine. Despite missing this penalty, Ronaldo made up for it in the shootout which Portugal went on to win. After the match, WHOOP, a health tracker, sponsored by Ronaldo, showcased how effective his routine was at managing stress. To everyone’s surprise, Ronaldo’s heart rate entered a “flow state”, decreasing and eventually being at its lowest point when taking the penalty, showcasing just how useful the above strategies can be when it comes to big pressure moments.
Cristiano Ronaldo PENALTY MISS vs Slovenia!
Building a Performance-First Mindset
Focusing on the Process, Not the Outcome
In the heat of the moment, it’s easy to beat yourself up and absorb fault for outcomes. Yet, sometimes certain things are just out of your control. Weather, refereeing decisions and input from your teammates are all external factors that you cannot control to a certain degree. Hence, why it is important to concentrate on controllable actions instead of results. Be supportive to those around you and take responsibility for what you can control, but keep in mind that often, you are one piece of a large puzzle in this game. Shifting your mindset in this fashion will help in avoiding performance anxiety tied to external validation.
Embracing Confidence Through Preparation
True confidence is built through consistent preparation, deliberate training, and repeated exposure to challenging situations. When athletes know they've done the work, they approach high-pressure moments with a grounded sense of readiness. Many also use intentional self-talk and mental cues to reinforce their belief in themselves. Reminding themselves of past successes helps anchor their confidence in experience, not just optimism. This mindset turns pressure into an opportunity rather than a threat.
Conclusion
Pressure is an inevitable part of elite competition, but it doesn't have to derail performance. With the right preparation, emotional regulation techniques, and a performance-first competition mindset, athletes can not only manage high-pressure moments but thrive in them. If you watch your favourite athlete closely enough, you'll begin to notice how they incorporate these very strategies, from pre-performance routines to breath control. At The Mental Game Clinic, we specialize in helping athletes at all levels build the mental skills needed for handling pressure in sport. Whether you're preparing for your next big game or learning to handle daily pressure, our team can support you in turning pressure into performance with practical sport psychology tips that work.
I'm a Psychology student at the University of Waterloo with a lifelong passion for sports—I've played soccer since I was 3 and started boxing at 16. I'm especially interested in the mental side of performance and how coaches can build confidence, manage pressure, and support resilience in athletes. In my free time, I love playing soccer with friends and training with a virtual reality boxing simulator.
