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Matt Besler translates his skills from the ping pong table to the soccer pitch

Matt Besler - U.S. Men's National Team vs. Bolivia - May 28, 2016

What do soccer and ping pong have in common? A lot, according to Sporting KC captain and U.S. Men's National Team defender Matt Besler. The 29-year-old veteran recently revealed that he's been practicing his skills with a paddle as long as his foot skills on the pitch.


Besler explained that many of the skills required in ping pong mirror that required of a successful soccer defender. In both, players are required to make decisions on the fly and must attempt to predict the moves of their opponent. Watch the video below for the full interview with Fox Sports' Rachel Bonnetta.