At every World Cup, there are high-stakes penalty shoot-outs, and they are invariably dramatic, tense and nerve-wracking for those involved.
There have already been two in the last 32 of the 2026 World Cup: Paraguay got the better of Germany – believe it or not – in a rollercoaster of a shoot-out, before Morocco beat the Netherlands on penalties.
For some players, handling the anxiety of stepping up under extreme pressure doesn’t come naturally – but they have been given some potentially useful device from fellow sportsmen.
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Darts pros on dealing with pressure
Professional darts players are familiar with the feeling of nervousness that comes with being asked to step up and take an accurate shot at a decisive moment.
Some of the very best spoke to FourFourTwo about coping with those high-stakes moments.
“It’s difficult, especially the last couple of years I’ve struggled with that, but now I think I’m just trying to look at the bigger picture,” said Gian van Veen. “Of course, at that moment it feels really important, but I always think, what happens if you lose this match? Not much.
“Your life still goes on, so that’s how I start looking at it, downplay it a little bit and just think about the bigger picture.”
Former world No.1 Luke Humphries said: “In any sport you’re doing crunch moments, your heart rate goes up a little bit, you feel a little bit tingly, so the most important thing is just staying composed and making sure you don’t let your thoughts run away with you and start thinking negatively.
“Keep your breathing in check to make sure you don’t let your heart go crazy and feel those nerves too much.”
Stephen Bunting added: “The similar thing for us is going for a big, big finish, so I think you need to have massive composure and take your time, deep breath. Look at where you’re throwing it and make sure you put it in the right place.”
Finally, Josh Rock kept it simple. “Take a big deep breath, compose yourself and just relax your body,” he said. “And obviously believe it’s going to go in, the exact same as a goal.”
It’s never as simple as it seems, of course, but taking a penalty with the eyes of the world watching is often more about mentality than technique.