This is what Jeong-Keun Park of Seoul University did in 2000 by studying the performances of Korean athletes. He found that prayer was not only a key factor in coping with anxiety but also in attaining peak performance. A quote from a participant in Park's study encapsulates the findings: "I always prepared my game with prayer.
Real Madrid star Kaka has often talked about his faith, praying on the pitch and thanking God for his rapid recovery from a broken back. Other sportsmen, from Muhammad Ali to Jonathan Edwards, the triple jumper, have also spoken about the power of faith.
If you watch carefully, you may see him crossing himself as he strides onto the pitch. On the opposing side, Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez has been known to pray on the pitch. Messi and Hernandez are not the only footballers to reveal their beliefs during the pursuit of their sport.
Atheists will regard the idea that religion can make a difference to outcomes in sport as fanciful. But it is possible to put aside the issue of whether or not God exists and just examine the impact of faith on performance. This is what Jeong-Keun Park of Seoul University did in 2000 by studying the performances of Korean athletes.
Real Madrid star Kaka has often talked about his faith, praying on the pitch and thanking God for his rapid recovery from a broken back. Other sportsmen, from Muhammad Ali to Jonathan Edwards, the triple jumper, have also spoken about the power of faith.
This echoes extraordinary research about the power of faith from the world of medicine. In the 1960s, a series of studies found that heart disease is far less common among the religious than in the general population, even after controlling for different lifestyles. Later studies extended this finding, including a paper in 1996 which found ...
At the Champions League final there is likely to be evidence of faith , with players making the sign of the cross and other religious gestures. But does belief really boost sporting performance, asks Matthew Syed.