There is nothing else in football like a World Cup penalty shootout. It’s the ultimate all-or-nothing showdown betwixt outfielder and goalkeeper. Score or don’t. In or out. Winner stays on.
The penalty shootout is a test of technique, mentality and preparation. It might not be a perfect tie-breaker but it’s the fairest we have and its drama is unmatched. Teams that go beyond the group stage at the took their World Cup record to two shootout wins from two by beating Germany 16 years after knocking out Japan. Hours later, Morocco defeated the Netherlands – they’re also two for two at the World Cup.
|
Team |
Shootouts |
Won |
Lost |
Win Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Belgium |
1 |
1 |
0 |
100.00% |
|
Australia |
5 |
4 |
1 |
80.00% |
|
Argentina |
19 |
13 |
6 |
68.42% |
|
United States |
9 |
6 |
3 |
66.67% |
|
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
3 |
2 |
1 |
66.67% |
|
DR Congo |
6 |
4 |
2 |
66.67% |
|
Portugal |
8 |
5 |
3 |
62.50% |
|
Croatia |
7 |
4 |
3 |
57.14% |
|
Paraguay |
9 |
5 |
4 |
55.56% |
|
Morocco |
9 |
5 |
4 |
55.56% |
|
Mexico |
13 |
7 |
6 |
53.85% |
|
Spain |
15 |
8 |
7 |
53.33% |
|
Brazil |
15 |
8 |
7 |
53.33% |
|
France |
10 |
5 |
5 |
50.00% |
|
Sweden |
2 |
1 |
1 |
50.00% |
|
Senegal |
8 |
4 |
4 |
50.00% |
|
Colombia |
10 |
5 |
5 |
50.00% |
|
Egypt |
13 |
6 |
7 |
46.15% |
|
Ivory Coast |
11 |
5 |
6 |
45.45% |
|
Algeria |
9 |
4 |
5 |
44.44% |
|
England |
11 |
4 |
7 |
36.36% |
|
Canada |
7 |
2 |
5 |
28.57% |
|
Ghana |
7 |
2 |
5 |
28.57% |
|
Switzerland |
6 |
1 |
5 |
16.67% |
|
Ecuador |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0.00% |
|
Cape Verde |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0.00% |
|
Austria |
0 |
0 |
0 |
– |
|
Norway |
0 |
0 |
0 |
– |
Of the teams still standing at the World Cup, Belgium have the best win percentage thanks to victory in their only shootout. It’s a small sample size but it was at the World Cup, against Spain, in 1986.
Australia and Argentina have won a lower percentage of their shootouts but have participated in many more. Argentina have won six out of seven at the World Cup including two shootouts (the quarter-final and final) at the last World Cup.
Switzerland have a dreadful record from the spot but only two of the remaining teams have lost every penalty shootout they’ve been involved in. Good luck, Ecuador and Cape Verde!
In the World Cup, France are carrying the millstone of two shootout defeats in the final and Spain have lost four out of five. In their four World Cup attempts, England have beaten only Colombia in 2018.
Croatia have been involved in four penalty shootouts at the World Cup and have won all four of them. We’ve crunched the numbers and it turns out that’s good.
Penalty shootouts are not lotteries. There’s too much skill required and too many variables that are, ultimately, controlled by the two players involved.
Being reliable in such pressurised moments is a different skill to being able to stick the ball away at a purely mechanical level.
Doing it at the World Cup is as difficult as it gets and we’ve already seen this summer how the moment can break down the abilities of even the best players around.