Alfie closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. He was trying to ignore the sounds of the crowd, but even he had to admit that it was hard not to notice the tension in the stadium. He could feel 50,000 sets of eyes burning through his skin—this crowd expected perfection from him. He took another breath and opened his eyes, setting his sights on the soccer ball resting peacefully in the grass. One shot, just one last shot, between his team and the championship. He didn’t look up at the goalie, who was jumping nervously on the goal line just a few yards away. Afterward, he would swear he didn’t remember anything between the referee’s whistle and the thunderous roar of the crowd.
Which of the following best describes the meaning of the phrase “he could feel 50,000 sets of eyes burning through his skin”?