Sorry, but im thinking baseball and football are more mental considerations and require players with more diverse skill sets to address more facets of those games for success.
I would agree about baseball being mental, particularly with regard to calculating the possibilities associated with each pitch and reacting correctly. But, that thinking mainly applies to one position - the one you are playing - and not every pitch brings a needed reaction for that position. Yes, a good all-around baseball player must have high and somewhat diverse physical skills - but they don't need to have stamina over a sustained period with no breaks.
In football, the player is given specific plans/orders to execute during any given play (most are not required to reason or know much) and the action time is very brief. Then, a rest, and you get some more specific orders. Lots of specialization. Physical strength/speed required? - yes. Brainpower essential? - not much for most. Stamina required? - not a major issue.
When a person is playing soccer well, the entire game can be a very individual reactive and decisive process - for each individual player - and those decisions/reactions are expected to take place immediately - and effectively - on your own. Specific and detailed orders are rare. The on-field thinking is conceptual/analytical and reactive - difficult to know what is coming next but one is expected to react well, without prompting.
Right - not for everyone and some never can see themselves becoming a soccer fan. That takes nothing away from the interesting and unique characteristics of the sport. Fun thread.
