Seeing the Game: Practical Lessons from Karl Marius Aksum on Visual Perception in Elite Football (Patreon)

In modern football, speed, skill, and tactics often steal the spotlight. But beneath those layers lies a silent, decisive factor: how players see the game. Karl Marius Aksum’s groundbreaking research brings visual perception out of the lab and onto the pitch, revealing how elite players gather and use information in real 11 v 11 match play.

Why This Matters for Coaches

Most previous studies on visual perception in football were done in laboratory settings, using drills that stripped away the chaos and pressure of real games. Aksum’s work breaks that mold by studying elite players—both seniors and youth—in their natural performance environment. His findings show that what players see, when they see it, and how they act on it directly impacts their decision-making, passing accuracy, and positional play.

Key Insights from the Research

1. Scanning Frequency Improves Passing

• Players who scanned more often before receiving the ball had higher pass completion rates.

• Scan frequency varied with pitch position and opponent pressure—midfielders in congested areas had to scan more often and quicker.

2. The Timing of the Last Scan is Critical

• U19 players scanned closer to the moment of receiving the ball than U17 players.

• A late, well-timed scan often led to a better body position to play forward.

3. Scans Are Short—But Effective

• Over 90% of scans lasted 0.66 seconds or less.

• Only 2.3% involved a fixed stare; most scanning happened without locking eyes on a single object.

4. Information Sources Change with Context

• Fixation points differed when the ball was near vs. far, and in attack vs. defense.

• Players looked longer when processing multiple information sources (ball + teammates + opponents).

Coaching Conclusions

The thesis provides the first-ever detailed look at elite players’ gaze behaviour in full 11 v 11 match play. The implications for coaching are clear:

• Train in Game-Like Conditions

  • Use complex, representative exercises where players must gather information in realistic scenarios.

  • Avoid isolated technical drills that remove key visual cues.

• Create Information-Rich Environments

  • Design sessions with multiple, moving information sources—opponents, teammates, ball, and space—to mirror the demands of a real match.

• Link Perception and Action

  • Ensure that every scanning opportunity directly connects to a decision and an action on the ball.

• Ditch Overly Simplified Setups

  • Reduce reliance on predictable, static patterns.

  • Introduce variability, pressure, and changing contexts to keep scanning meaningful.

• Develop Visual Awareness as a Core Skill

  • Treat scanning and perception as fundamental football abilities, not optional add-ons to technical training.

The Big Picture

Aksum’s research reinforces that perception is not just about seeing—it’s about seeing with purpose. The best players don’t just look; they gather, process, and act on information faster than others.

For coaches, the challenge is to design sessions where scanning is necessary, not optional. By embedding these principles into training, you’re not just improving technical skills—you’re sharpening the player’s football brain.