In professional football, mental preparation can be just as important as physical training on the pitch—and for FC Bayern Munich star Jonathan Tah, music is the key to unlocking his best performance.

In the second episode of the "Sounds Around Football" series by Sonos and OneFootball, the powerful centre-back opens up about how he uses sound to fuel his focus and motivation. "Nothing can stop you, you are strong, you can do anything, you were made for this," Tah says, describing the inner mantra that music helps him activate.

For Tah, music is far more than background noise—it's a tool to enter "the mode." During workouts, he relies on his full Sonos system (now featuring the Sonos Play) to create the perfect training atmosphere. He calls it his "perfect sparring partner," whether he's training indoors or outside. "And the sound is just top," he adds.

When game day arrives and pressure peaks, Tah turns to his Sonos headphones with noise-cancelling technology to block out the roar of the Allianz Arena crowd. This allows him to stay "calm under pressure" and fully immerse himself in the rhythm that prepares him for battle.

But Tah's connection to music goes deeper than pre-game playlists. The defender is a passionate drummer who once played in church and his local community. Today, he keeps his own drum kit at home in Munich. "If my life were a sound right now, it would be drums," he says.

He sees striking parallels between drumming and football: "Everything in life has a rhythm—football too. Putting your foot in the right place at the right moment is, in essence, the same as hitting a precise beat on the drums."

Even when he's off the pitch, Tah stays connected to the game. Whether analyzing match footage or watching as a passionate fan, he relies on his Sonos home cinema system to capture the full atmosphere. "You can compare the Sonos home cinema system to the atmosphere in a stadium. I'm in the middle, and all around me comes the sound," he explains.

For athletes and fans alike, Tah's story is a reminder that the right soundtrack can be the difference between good and great—on the pitch and in life.