Shoot-out Showdowns: Who Are Europe’s Penalty Pros?
ON THE OFF CHANCE you’ve not heard, England are heading to a second European Championship Final in a row, and worryingly everything thus far has fallen in favour of the Three Lions.
Southgate’s side failed to take full advantage of a Wembley final in Euro 2020 when the Azzurri broke English hearts in yet another penalty shoot-out gone wrong for the 1966 World Cup winners.
England have had an upswing in penalty fortunes since, as recently as last weekend when they calmly netted five from five to see off Switzerland. But on the big stage, with a trophy on the line in a final, it’s hard to know what this side are capable of, or if they can keep up the good penalty performances of late.
The past two finals at major international tournaments featuring European sides, Euro 2020 and the 2022 Qatar World Cup, have ended in penalties. Finals are often nitty-gritty matches where neither side is too eager to push for a winner at the expense of being left vulnerable at the back.
Four of the previous seven Euros finals have gone beyond 90 minutes, and four of the past five World Cup Finals have also extended regulation time.
France lost the World Cup courtesy of penalties just two years ago, the Italians won the last Euros thanks to their nerve, Germany are the epitome of penalty efficiency, and England have had their troubles for decades now. But how do the top 10 ranked European nations rank from 12-yards out. Are the Germans actually the best to do it? And is anybody as woeful as the Three Lions?
I took a look at the record books, thanks to Transfermarkt, to find out:
Belgium (3rd FIFA): 100% win rate / 1 win / 0 defeats
It feels very cheeky to put the Belgians at the summit of this list. There’s an asterisks beside their 100% record. They’ve played and won one penalty shoot-out 38-years ago! A 5-4 win in the 1986 Quarterfinals against Spain means the Belgians have scored every penalty they’ve ever taken in this scenario. Goalkeeper Jean-Marie Pfaff saved Spaniard Eloy Olaya’s spot kick to send his side through to the Semifinals where a Maradona double eventually proved too much. The Red Devils came agonisingly close to another shoot-out the following World Cup but David Platt’s famous 119th minute volley prevented either side for the most nail-biting conclusion in football.
1. Germany (16th FIFA): 85.7% win rate / 6 wins / 1 defeat
The list essentially starts now. Everyone knows the Germans are the kings of the penalty shoot-out. Winning on penalties is as German as a nice cold stein or an impeccably manufactured car.
West Germany did lose their first ever shoot-out, the first in Euros history, but never again in the following 48-years and counting. If there was any way in which the Germans were going to lose the ultimate battle of nerves it must surely be from a moment of brilliance, something never seen before that would change the game as we know it, right? Step up Antonin Panenka, to dink his name into football folklore. That was the 1976 Euros final, and until then stalemates in finals were decided by replays after replays until a winner was crowned. Bizarre, but not quite as crazy as the coin tosses used to settled Semifinal matches in the years prior to 1976.
But since then, it’s been plain sailing for Die Mannschaft with six wins out of six and a well earned reputation. Six years after the invention of “The Panenka” Germany became the first side to win a shoot-out at a World Cup Finals tournament. Goalkeeper Harold Schumacher saved two French penalties to be lauded as the hero after playing the role of villain for his second half antics (Google the incident at your own risk). Sweeper Uli Stielike missed his penalty in Seville that night and remains the only German, out of 18, to fail in converting in a World Cup shoot-out. Schumacher went on to save a couple more penalties in the Quarterfinal win against hosts Mexico in the next World Cup to bring his tally to a record four in World Cup shoot-outs, now tied with three others.
The German nerves of steel have seen them march into three tournaments and prevail against the hosts on penalties, Mexico in 86’, Italy in 90’, and England in 96’.
The word most synonymous with the nature of the German people is ‘efficient’ and the country’s penalty record substantiates this. Their flawless ability to drown out the noise and pressure, and effortlessly despatch from 12-yards out seems to be engrained in the German football psyche.
With far too many to choose from, and mostly winnings ones at that, it’s difficult to single out one German penalty success, but it feels like Italia 90 edges it. Germany had just lost two World Cup finals in a row, 1982 and 1986, so to reach the Italia 90 final and put the previous tournaments behind them feels too crucial to bypass. Throw into the mix their English rivals who also happened to snatch a World Cup final from them and it all came together perfectly in that Semifinal. Ironically Argentina, the finalists alongside the Germans, advanced to the final via penalty shoot-out wins in both the Quarterfinals and Semifinals, then in another twist of fate it was an Andreas Brehme penalty five minutes from time in the final that secured a 1-0 win and a third World Cup for Franz Beckenbauer’s side.
Since their first in 1976 Germany have never gone more than 10 years without taking part in penalties. Their most recent was eight years ago in Euro 2016 meaning we can expect another efficient penalty performance from Die Mannschaft at the 2026 World Cup.
2. Croatia (9th FIFA): 66.7% win rate / 4 wins / 2 defeats
A rather high percentage for the small nation of Croatia, most notably in the World Cup where the Croats boast four wins from four. This number has been boosted in recent years with wins from the penalty spot in the Round of 16 and Quarterfinal stages at both the 2018 World Cup and 2022.
The Round of 16 at Qatar 2022 is the only time Croatian legend Luka Modric hasn’t taken a penalty in a shoot-out for his country. The 2018 Ballon d’Or winner scored in the three others and in last year’s Nations League Final defeat to Spain but also has the unwanted honour of missing the first penalty Croatia ever took in a shoot-out when he side footed his effort wide of Rüstü Recber’s Türkiye goal in Euro 2008.
Overcoming Brazil in a World Cup isn’t something any old nation can barge about. Croatia are just one of ten teams to eliminate the record champions in a knockout tie doing so 4-2 on penalties in Qatar two years ago.
But the biggest shoot-out had to be during their fairytale run to the 2018 World Cup Final when they defeated the hosts Russia 4-3 from the spot in the Quarterfinals. Remarkable for a country of a little under four million people.
3. Portugal (6th FIFA): 57.1% win rate / 4 wins / 3 defeats
Half of Portugal’s penalty victories have been at the expense of the English. Spoiler, it’s only two wins, but that’s a neat little statistic to hold over the Three Lions.
Those results were the first shoot-outs in Portuguese history. Poster boy Cristiano Ronaldo has scored a penalty in each of his nation’s wins from the spot. He’s been available to take one too, but his ego intervened. He was fifth in line, a would be/could be winning penalty, in the 2012 Euro Semifinal defeat to world champions Spain and the Confederations Cup loss to Chile in 2017, needless to say it didn’t reach that far.
There’s lots of memorable penalty moments for the Portuguese, the Quarterfinal defeat to France last Friday which saw Ronaldo’s last kick in Euros history, or that Euro 2004 Quarterfinal with England when goalkeeper Ricardo removed his gloves to save a Darius Vassell penalty before smashing home the winner himself as Portugal made their way to the final.
But the greatest ‘what-if?’ was in the 2012 Semifinal 4-2 shoot-out defeat to European and world champions Spain. Portugal were just penalties away from disrupting football’s greatest dynasty. Spain’s narrow win that night saw them through to their third consecutive final where they blew Italy away 4-0. Paulo Bento’s side came agonisingly close to a European final, misses from Joao Moutinho and Bruno Alves meant Ronaldo watched on powerless as his country crashed out.
Ronaldo’s overbearing self-confidence played a huge role in confirming 2008-2012 Spain as the best side the beautiful game has ever seen.
4. Spain (8th FIFA): 53.8% win rate / 7 wins / 6 defeats
England’s opponents this Sunday, worryingly for Southgate and co, boast a far superior penalty record. With four wins and two defeats in the Euros Spain do seem more composed in a continental setting than the World Cup stage where they’ve won just one and lost four.
The current England boss was present when the Three Lions knocked Spain out of the Euro 1996 Quarterfinal, goalkeeper David Seaman saving Miguel Angel Nadal’s spot kick (uncle of Rafael Nadal) just a few miles north of Wimbledon Center Court at the old Wembley.
What should encourage Southgate is the recent Spanish record. La Roja failed to convert a singe kick in the 3-0 upset to surprise package Morocco in Qatar 2022, and the tournament prior to that they succumbed to a 5-3 penalty defeat to Italy in the Euro 2020 Semifinal, otherwise we’d have seen this Anglo-Spanish European final already.
But their most recent penalty performance saw them squeak past Croatia 5-4 in last summer’s Nations League Final. Once again for the Spanish a double trophy haul is on the cards.
Like Portugal, the 2012 Semifinal must be their most important. That shoot-out allowed them to demolish Italy in the final and complete an unprecedented treble of major trophies.
5. Italy (10th FIFA): 46.2% win rate / 6 wins / 7 defeats
For a country who continue to produce some of the best goalkeepers in the game the Italian success rate is a little underwhelming. It’s a completely mixed bag for the Azzurri when it comes to spot kicks.
They were eliminated from three straight World Cups thanks to penalties, losing to Argentina on home soil in 1990, Brazil in the 1994 final, and to hosts and subsequent winners France in 1998. Roberto Baggio infamously skied his penalty over the bar and into the Rose Bowl crowd in 1994, an uncharacteristic blunder made more bizarre when you realise, he scored his penalties in the defeats to Argentina and France either side of 1994.
That period was pretty much the worst of it for Italy however. A couple of Euros Quarterfinal defeats to Spain in 2008 and Germany in 2016, and a Confederations Cup defeat to Spain in 2013 are there only struggles since that trio of despair in the 90s.
Penalty wins over Spain in the Euro 2020 Semifinal and England in the final are the reason why, until Sunday, Italy are the current European champions. Although Baggio and Arrigo Sacchi might put forth their case for 1994, the 2006 World Cup Final against France in Berlin was probably the most crucial penalty shoot-out in Azzurri history.
It might look like splitting hairs, but here’s why. Italy won the World Cup in 1982, 12 years before losing that final in Pasadena. Because of that defeat in California, and the Euro 2000 Final Golden Goal loss to the French, the Italians went into the 06’ final trophy less for 38 years. An entire generation.
The 2006 final was an instant classic. Zidane, who spent five years of his career in Serie A with Juventus, beat Gianluigi Buffon with a Panenka in the first half. Zizou would’ve taken a penalty in the shoot-out if he hadn’t lost his head and planted it in Marco Materazzi’s chest in extra-time. The added narrative was David Trezeguet, teammate of Buffon at Juventus and scorer of the Euro 2000 Golden Goal, missing the only penalty in the shoot-out to gift Italy their fourth World Cup.
6. France (2nd FIFA): 44.4% win rate / 4 wins / 5 defeats
The only team to lose two World Cup Finals via penalty shoot-outs. France don’t have the best nerve from 12-yards out.
Their four wins have all come in Quarterfinal matchups, while they’ve suffered two defeats in Semifinals, two in finals and one in the Round of 16 at Euro 2020. The most important of the lot is a toss up between the two World Cup Finals in 06’ and 22’.
The most recent, that thriller in Qatar, cemented Lionel Messi’s legacy as the greatest footballer of all-time. Yet you could argue, and I’m sure the French would get on the bandwagon, that had that final in Berlin played out differently you could’ve made a case for Zidane to be crowned the best ever.
Had the French defeated Italy that night Zidane would have two World Cup winning medals, having scored in both finals, along with his European Championship, Champions League and Ballon d’Or in 1998, and Les Blues would’ve held three major trophies out of five between 1998 and 2006.
7. England (5th FIFA): 36.4% win rate / 4 wins / 7 defeats
For all the memories of England’s penalty pain, Southgate’s sorrow in 1996 to the racist abuse after Euro 2020 and most shoot-outs in between, surprisingly the Three Lions are not the top strugglers in this list. In fact, with three wins from their last four, their recent record is promising as they look ahead to a second consecutive Euros final on Sunday.
Ironically the penalty problem looks to have been solved by Gareth Southgate despite his miss in the Euro 96 Semifinal being one of the nation’s most infamous. Not a tournament goes past without England fans hyperventilating at the prospect of their side stepping up from 12-yards out somewhere down the line.
Two defeats to bitter rivals Germany and one to their other foes Argentina in the 90s set the tone for the (‘x’ amount of years of hurt) attitude the 21st century would bring.
Back-to-back tournament exits to Portugal and one of the best executed and audacious attempts from Andrea Pirlo in Euro 2012 continued to haunt England. The win over Colombia in the 2018 World Cup Round of 16 looked to have turned the page for Southgate’s Three Lions, especially after another win in the Nations League Final with Switzerland one year later.
But the Euro 2020 Final against Italy proved to be a step too far as three English stars failed to convert their attempts and sadly fell victim to vile racist abuse following the defeat at Wembley Stadium.
Losing a Euro final, at home, is tough to erase from your memory, but the most crucial England shoot-outs are the two defeats in six years to the Germans.
In 1990 the shoot-out loss was an opportunity missed to reach a World Cup Final against world champions Argentina and exact some revenge for Maradona’s Hand of God four years prior. The 96’ Semifinal, although not as big an occasion as football’s biggest prize, was massive for two reasons.
Firstly, it was on home soil. Secondly, the Czech Republic had won their own shoot-out against France earlier that day and would’ve been heavy underdogs at the old Wembley. Those two penalty defeats to such big rivals had a lasting psychological effect on the nation as a whole.
8. Netherlands (7th FIFA): 25% win rate / 2 wins / 6 defeats
Someone worse than England?! Incredible.
The Netherlands record on penalties could summarise the shortcomings of the small, yet extremely talented, football nation. The Dutch have just one win at Euro 2004 over Sweden and another in the 2014 World Cup, the latter famously following a change of goalkeeper as extra-time was coming to an end.
The Quarterfinal of the Brazil World Cup in 2014 saw Louis Van Gaal remove keeper Jasper Cillessen and install Tim Krul. The move paid off as Krul saved two penalties to put the Netherlands into the Semifinals. Facing Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the Semis Van Gaal ran into a huge psychological problem. He ran out of subs. Cillessen was forced to enter the shoot-out knowing that the Dutch keeper sat on the bench was a better shot stopper, and had been preferred by his boss just days earlier. He knew it, Van Gaal knew it, Krul knew it, but most importantly, the Argentines knew it. Four penalties taken, four scored and the Netherlands were sent packing.
That added storyline just singles this particular shoot-out as the Netherlands most significant. A rematch of the 1974 final with rivals Germany was awaiting the Oranje. As the 25% success rate suggest the Netherlands are no stranger to spot kick heartache having lost two World Cup Semifinals and two Euros Semifinals.
Another argument could be made for the 1992 Euro Semi defeat to Denmark. A country that never officially qualified for the tournament yet went on to win it anyway, surely a Dutch side consisting of legends like Ronald Koeman, Marco Van Basten, Dennis Bergkamp, Frank Rijkaard and Ruud Gullit would’ve fancied their chances in a final?
9. Switzerland (19th FIFA): 16.7% win rate / 1 win / 5 defeats
After seven attempts at shoot-outs the Swiss have future Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe to thank for preventing a 0% record.
The Switzerland Round of 16 win over favoured neighbours France at Euro 2020 is the only shoot-out win to date. Veteran keeper Yann Sommer palmed Mbappe’s penalty wide to finally ‘lift the curse’, although they have lost more since.
It took years for the Swiss to get to this point beyond extra-time, the 2006 World Cup Round of 16 against Ukraine to be exact, but since then they’ve become quite a common occurrence, just never again at the World Cup. Last Saturday’s Quarterfinal defeat to England marked the third straight European Championships that spot kick struggles have signalled the end of the road for Switzerland. It was also the second time the nation fell victim to England on penalties. England… Now that is worrying.
The only slight saving grace is that in most cases there were some tough tests waiting for Switzerland beyond the shoot-out defeats. Eventual champions Italy at Euro 2020, eventual champions Portugal at Euro 2016 and eventual champions Italy again at the 2006 World Cup.
This is largely why last Saturday was their biggest penalty showdown so far. A chance to overcome a notoriously poor penalty taking nation and reach a first ever Semifinal. A beatable Dutch side lay waiting round the corner. A win would’ve reinstalled the fear of spot kicks across all of England, but more importantly was a genuine route to a major final for Switzerland.
Comments
Post a Comment