6 Minute English / What's in a footballer's brain?

Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.

Hello, this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Georgie.

And I'm Neil.

Neil, I'm not a huge fan of football, but I know you are. So, why do you love it so much?

Oh, where can I start? I think it's the combination of the passion and also the skill and athleticism of the players. They call it 'the beautiful game' for a reason.

Now, football players are faster than ever before, but the game is also about making very quick decisions.

Yes. To be the best of the best, some football clubs have started looking beyond the body, to the brain. Here's Tom Cooke, Academy Psychologist for Nottingham Forest Football Club, talking to the BBC World Service.

We're watching these athletes make decisions in split instincts, under the highest pressures and the highest intensities. It made a lot of sense to go, well, neurologically or cognitively, there's something going on.

There's something going on in the brain when the athletes are making quick decisions. If there's something going on, something unknown and interesting is happening. So, what's happening inside the brains of football players? And could brain training help win more games? That's what we'll be hearing about in this programme. And don't forget to find a free transcript at bbclearningenglish.com.

But first, Neil. I have a quiz question for you. As we've heard, football players have to make decisions in high-pressure situations, and their performance may be influenced by their emotional state and fear response. But which part of the brain is best known for its role in processing fear and detecting threats? Is it: