Euro 2024, Champions League, and International Football News Update
With the UEFA European Championship just around the corner, all eyes are on the players who will step up to the penalty spot for England at Euro 2024. In a country where penalty shootouts have long been a source of both triumph and heartbreak, the Three Lions’ spot-kick record has seen some improvement in recent years under Gareth Southgate’s leadership, winning two out of three shootouts.
However, the pressure of taking a penalty, even outside the context of a tournament-deciding lottery, remains a high-stakes endeavor. As England have already secured their place in the knockouts, there’s a real possibility that they may have to settle a fixture via a penalty shootout at some point during the competition.
FourFourTwo has delved into the penalty records of the England players, with the help of data from www.topoffshoresportsbooks.com, to provide a comprehensive breakdown of who is likely to step up from 12 yards for the Three Lions at Euro 2024.
Harry Kane, England’s all-time leading goalscorer, is the clear first-choice penalty taker for the national team. The Tottenham striker has an impressive 87.36% conversion rate from the spot for his country. In the event that Kane is unavailable, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, who has a perfect 100% record from the spot, could be the next man up.
Other players with impressive penalty records include Conor Gallagher, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Jude Bellingham, all of whom have also converted 100% of their spot-kicks for England. Bukayo Saka, who famously missed the decisive penalty against Italy in the Euro 2020 final, will likely be given another chance to redeem himself, having converted 80% of his penalties.
The decision on who takes penalties for England in a shootout scenario is largely dependent on a combination of factors, including who is on the pitch, who volunteers, and their previous record from the spot. Gareth Southgate has shown a willingness to rotate his penalty takers in the past, allowing players to gain valuable experience in high-pressure situations.
As for the goalkeeping department, England may be missing a trick. While Jordan Pickford has a respectable record in shootouts, saving a quarter of the penalties he has faced, his overall save percentage of just 15% is below the tournament average. In contrast, Dean Henderson, England’s second-choice keeper, boasts an impressive 36% save rate, the best among the Three Lions’ shot-stoppers.
With the Euros fast approaching, the pressure will be on England’s players to deliver from the penalty spot, as the nation hopes to end its long wait for a major international trophy.
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