How to win a penalty shootout (with game theory)

Planet Money revisits a Soccernomics episode exploring penalty kicks through the lens of game theory. Even the greatest soccer players, like Lionel Messi, are only average at penalties—and game theory's concept of mixed strategies may explain why. The episode tells how a once-controversial idea in economics gained real-world evidence by studying soccer players, who seem to randomize their kicks in ways that match theoretical predictions. The result is a practical illustration of how game theory works in high-stakes moments and how sports can validate academic models.