Soccer's bid to train the brain

Mind over matter: Soccer's bid to train the brain-(CNN) –

Today's soccer professionals have a battery of physios, fitness trainers and doctors all striving to fine-tune their players' physique for optimum performance.

But are football clubs missing a trick in overlooking dedicated training for the most important organ of all -- the brain?

Scientists at London's Brunel University believe the game's top talents, such as Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, have mental faculties that are better programmed to anticipate their opponents' moves.

Research published in the Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology found that of 39 players tested, the more experienced footballers were able to suppress the urge to act instinctively, making them less susceptible to feints or tricks from their opponents.