Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Euro 2024: Penalty shootouts, from Panenka to England’s record

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A lot of English readers might be wondering how the Three Lions would fare if they needed a shootout in the knockout stages again.

It is fair to say the current England squad present a mixed bag when it comes to penalty success.

Including every penalty taken for club or country, during a game or in a shootout, Harry Kane has by far the most experience – with 86 kicks taken and 76 scored – an 88% success rate.

Ivan Toney, who could well be someone who comes on for a shootout, has netted 37 of his 40 (93%).

Bukayo Saka is next with 13 from 15 (87%) – although one of his two misses was in the Euro 2020 final.

Eleven of the squad have a 100% record from the spot, including Cole Palmer – who has netted 11 from 11.

The worst records fall to Ollie Watkins (six goals from 11 kicks, 55%), Kieran Trippier (three from six, 50%) and Declan Rice (two from four, 50%).

Five of the squad have never taken a spot-kick.

As for who should be in goal for penalties, the data says it should be Dean Henderson without any doubt.

Henderson has saved seven of his 18 penalties faced in senior football (39%), while Jordan Pickford has saved six out of 57 (11%) and Aaron Ramsdale’s record is one save from 21 (5%).

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