Lately an earthquake struck in football minded in our country.

The Dutch FA & several experts claim

Dutch football has to improve. Despite a 3rd place during the last World Cup in Brazil. And room for
improvement exists especially within our youth academies.

In Holland sympathy for and focus on our youth players is tremendous. They are often given a chance in
the Dutch Eredivisie; the start of their professional football career. And some of them develop into
world class players. Therefore we value our youth academies. Therefore we need the best youth
academies. Clearly a lot of things can be improved, or according to Dutch FA must be improved, in our
academies. One of the greatest improvements to be made is the winning mentality of our youth players.
Our youth lacks this winning mentality. How then can we create that mentality? Can we create and
develop it, or is something you have or dont? What is the definition of a winning mentality?

To me giving everything youve got (effort /take initiative/being a leader) in order to win, also in the face
of problems (e.g. red card, missed chance, goal down) is the winning mentality. And I am convinced it is
possible to create and develop this winning mentality. Then how? We could demand this winning
mentality from our players: I want you to want to win this match. Would that be of any help in creating
the winning mentality? I am not sure. I do not think you can create the winning mentality by demanding
it from players, that will has to come from within; intrinsic motivation. It kind of resembles us wanting
the children wanting to learn. We, the academies, should make the conditions in such a way that the
child is motivated to learn. This motivation too has to come from within.

When a childs motivation to want or do something becomes extrinsic, like us requesting him wanting to
win or learn, he will lose his autonomy. His freedom of choice. Autonomy which is part of intrinsic
motivation (together with feeling competent and related) will lower and might eventually take
intrinsic motivation away to be replaced by extrinsic motivation. He now has to win or learn, because of
the coach wanting him. Extrinsic motivation leads to loss of interest eventually. So requesting the
winning mentality, I reckon, will not work.

If this seemingly most logical solution probably does not work, then what does? Lets have a deeper look
at the problem. Our youth has a lack of winning mentality. Hang on, lets repeat this. Our youth has a
lack of winning mentality! This sounds odd, at least to me it does. Football is a game and games are
there to be won. Everybody wants to win, theres no single person I have met who says I will play this
game so that I can lose. So everyone wants to win and if thats not the case then something is blocking
that. Like learning, every child wants to learn or become better at football and if he does not, something
is in the way. Thus what could be blocking the will to win in young football players?

Enter Maslow was a psychologist on a quest to explain human behavior. In doing so, he came up with
this pyramid of hierarchical needs. In his pyramid needs are ranked in 5 layers. You need to fulfill the
first need (layer) in order to reach the second. With a bit of imagination you can compare this pyramid
to a video game with 5 levels. If you have completed level 1 you go up to level 2, if completed you go up
to level 3 and so on. So how does this pyramid look like?

The first need or layer are the bodily needs for survival: the need for food and water. Layer 2 consists of
the need for security; you need to feel safe. The need to belong, to have social relationships is situated
on layer 3. On layer 4 you will find the need for confirmation & acknowledgement, we need to be
recognized for our skills, strengths. The top layer, number 5, has the need for self-actualization, to
become who we want to be (in football: a winner).

Maslows theory, as you can see, focuses on human behavior in general. Lets take away the general and
make it football specific. To Maslow you could only enter the next level if the previous one is completed.

The highest level in football is of course our need to win. To win the game, the match, the League or the
World Cup. To reach this need, we need to fulfill the other four needs to be completely focused on
winning. Firstly, we need to meet our need for food and drinks. A lot of players eat pasta and have
sports drinks to complete this level. Then they move up, they need to feel safe, no (physical) harm will
be done to them. That is why matches in war environments are cancelled or rescheduled. Maybe even
teams that play away, especially in a stadium with aggressive home fans, have their focus (partially) on
their safety. They do not feel comfortable, so part of their focus gets lost here. Those two needs will not
be the blockings in the winning mentality of our youth players. The needs on layer 3 and 4 though are.
These are the need to belong, the need to be acknowledged, the need to feel valued in a team.

Which players in your team most often express the winning mentality? Probably the players who feel
they are the best. They have secured their spot, their value in the team. Thus their need is to win, to
outperform the opponent. Imagine, would you want to win if you are not sure you will play next week or
even worse, you are unsure whether you will be in the academy next year? You and these players, given
the choice, rather win over lose, of course. And this want comes in 2nd place, right after your first
priority: to make sure you belong, to make sure you are valued in the team and academy. Their focus
can be on playing well, on convincing staff and others that they have value for the team and should be
playing in the academy next year too. If playing well combines with winning then thats perfect. If
playing well is accompanied by losing thats a shame. Imagine how they might feel if they played badly.
Their first priority thus is to play well, to be acknowledged and valued. Players in this situation are still
competing with themselves and other teammates, that is the most important battle to them. Not
outperforming the opponent.

Therefore, in my opinion, we have to make sure the 4 underlying needs are met in order for our youth
players to have that mentality to win. Have them energized with sufficient food and drinks, guarantee
their safety and most of all express their belonging in the team, acknowledge them and value them for
who they are! Then you will create players who are hungry to win.