What we can all learn from England's breathing coach

When the Three Lions train there is a focus in camp on how their breathwork, as well as their footwork, can give them a winning edge. Experts reveal their methods to Suzy Cox

- Suzy Cox

There are few words more triggering to an England fan than "penalties". Yet when the Three Lions faced Switzerland in the Euros last Saturday, Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Ivan Toney and Trent Alexander-Arnold hit five spot-on spot-kicks – earning the team a place in the semi-finals against the Netherlands.

It was an epic feat. So what was the secret to their sudden penalty power? Harder drills, canny substitutions, bananas prematch rituals? No, pundits believe it’s all down to the team focusing on not just their footwork but their breathwork too.

It’s since been revealed that manager Gareth Southgate (a man acutely aware of the pressure of a penalty himself) drafted in a “breathwork expert” to get the team match fit.

Respiratory coach Stuart Sandeman – who promises that “by changing the way you breathe, you can transform the way you think and feel” – began working in breathwork after tragically losing his girlfriend to cancer.

Now the bestselling author of Breathe In, Breathe Out, a guide on how to breathe for “better sleep, stress management and improved self-esteem and mental health”, Sandeman has clients including Olympic athletes and high-profile business execs.

“There’s no greater indication of the powerful link between breathing and performance than @england including breathwork to aid the team’s recovery at @euro2024 after Sundays [sic] win,” wrote Sandeman (“@breathpod” to his 83,000 followers) on Instagram, from the training camp in Germany, posting a video of him coaching the team. “I’m humbled that they chose me to lead these sessions.”

One person unsurprised to hear Southgate added breathwork to his team’s already hectic schedule is somatic movement, breath and yoga educator Nahid de Belgeonne. She says there’s ample evidence that “breathing consciously” before a stressful moment can really help you focus.