Mind the Game: Virtual Reality-Based Cognitive Training to Enhance Decision-Making in Football Athletes

hletes are frequently recognised for their physical abilities; however, their perceptual-cognitive skills are equally essential for achieving optimal performance. Modern sports science emphasises the assessment and training of these skills, aiming not only to monitor athlete development but also to support talent identification, facili- tate return to play, and enhance competitive outcomes. In this context, virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promis- ing tool, offering the possibility of recreating and manipu- lating complex sporting scenarios in controlled yet realistic environments. 1 It allows for repeated practice and, since it does not involve physical exertion, serves as a valuable training option for injured athletes. However, despite its potential, evidence regarding the effectiveness of VR-based interventions for improving perceptual-cognitive skills remains limited. This article presents the Mind the Game project, which aims to advance the current understanding of VR-based cog- nitive interventions in sports. The study specifically examines the effects of such training on decision-making accuracy. It further explores whether improvements extend to the underly- ing cognitive functions, thereby indicating potential far- transfer effects