A survey has revealed that approximately 24% of American men believe they could successfully score a penalty kick in a World Cup match. The poll, which surveyed U.S. adults across various age groups and political affiliations, found that overall, 19% of U.S. adults expressed confidence in their ability to convert a penalty kick, which is taken from 12 yards out.
Among men, confidence levels were highest in the 18-29 age bracket, with 41% stating they could score. This contrasts with 23% of women in the same age group who felt similarly. For respondents aged 30-44, 32% of men and 19% of women believed they could convert a penalty.
Confidence decreased with age, with 18% of men and 10% of women aged 45-64 reporting they could score. In the 65 and over age group, only 11% of men and 6% of women expressed this belief.
Political affiliation also appeared to influence self-assessment of soccer skills. Among Republican men under 45, 58% believed they could score a penalty kick, significantly higher than the 28% of Democratic men and 26% of Independent men in the same age group. This trend extended to women, with 34% of Republican women under 45 asserting they could score, compared to 21% of Democratic women and 14% of Independent women.
The survey noted no significant differences in confidence levels within the 45-and-over age bracket based on political affiliation. For comparison, professional athletes typically convert between 71% and 79% of penalty kicks, according to research published in the journal Nature.
The YouGov poll was conducted online between July 9-10, with 6,297 U.S. adults participating. The survey reported a margin of error of approximately 1.5%.