• Charles Sturt sports scientist Dr Job Fransen says World Cup success is driven by adaptability under pressure, not just technical excellence
• Research and real-world experience show elite players thrive through productive struggle, resilience and continuous adaptation

As the FIFA World Cup reaches the quarter finals stage, Charles Sturt University sports skill acquisition expert Dr Job Fransen says the tournament is demonstrating that elite performance is about far more than technical ability.

According to Dr Fransen (inset), an Associate Professor in Exercise and Sports Science whose research focuses on how athletes develop and adapt skills to optimise performance, the world's best footballers distinguish themselves through their ability to respond to changing demands in high-stakes moments.

“By the time players reach this level, skill is no longer just about technique, biomechanics or how cleanly someone can strike a ball,” Dr Fransen said.

“The most skillful players rise to the top because they are masters at adapting their skillset to what the context of the game requires.”

Dr Fransen, a Belgian by birth, said the performance of Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku in his team’s round of 16 match against hosts, USA, provided a powerful example of this principle in action.

“Often criticised for aspects of his game such as his first touch, Lukaku came off the bench and, with only a handful of opportunities on the ball, found a way to score,” he said.

“He slipped the ball through the narrow gap between a defender, the goalkeeper and the post at exactly the right moment. That is an outstanding display of skill under pressure.”

“This ability to produce a performance when it matters most, even when the whole stadium is against you, is true skill,” he said.

For more than a decade, Dr Fransen has worked with leading sporting organisations around the world, observing athletes during competition and in training environments.

Through that experience, he has seen a consistent pattern among elite performers.

“What separates truly skilled footballers from those who are merely talented is their willingness and ability to adapt,” he said.

“Skill acquisition research shows that the best coaches do not simply design flawless drills. Instead, they create environments where athletes experience productive struggle and are constantly challenged to adjust to the demands of the task in front of them.”

Dr Fransen said the best coaching environments encourage players to continually refine their abilities, both on and off the ball, while finding creative solutions to movement problems presented during practice.

“Whether it is Lukaku shutting out the noise of an entire stadium to find the smallest gap and score, or a player responding to a tactical change during a hydration break, adaptation is the result of productive struggle,” he said.

That philosophy extends beyond sport and has shaped Dr Fransen’s own career.

Before becoming an internationally recognised researcher, Dr Fransen experienced a serious illness early in his academic journey that transformed his outlook and purpose.

As he shared with website, Science, a sudden and severe illness early in his academic journey led him to discover a renewed drive to pursue research that made a tangible difference, work that connected science with real human performance.

Rather than focusing solely on traditional research outputs, Dr Fransen committed to developing tools and frameworks that coaches could use immediately.

His experience taught him the value of resilience and creativity, qualities mirrored in the very athletes he now helps train.

“The crisis pushed me to think differently. I wanted my work to matter in the real world, not just in journals,” he reflected.

“The experience taught me the value of resilience, creativity and adaptation.

“I wanted my work to make a tangible difference in the real world, not just in academic journals. The same qualities that help athletes perform under pressure can help all of us navigate challenges and continue to grow.”