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What is a penalty shoot-out? -

A penalty shoot-out is a tie-breaking method to determine which team wins in a match that cannot end in a draw when the score is equal after the normal time and extra time have expired.

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What is a penalty shoot-out? -

Each team takes turns to try and score a goal from the penalty mark, with the goal defended only by the opposition's goalkeeper.

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The shoot-out -

Each team has five kicks which must be taken by different players. The team that scores the most goals is the victor.

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The shoot-out -

A penalty shoot-out starts with two coin tosses to determine the side of the field where the penalties will be taken and which team takes the first kick.

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When was the penalty shoot-out established? -

The penalty shoot-out was adopted by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) as a method of settling stalemates in 1970.

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The first penalty shoot-out -

Alain Giresse of France took, and scored, the first-ever penalty in a shoot-out in World Cup finals, this in 1982.

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The first penalty shoot-out -

Giresse initially turned his back and faced away from the West German goalkeeper, Harald Schumacher, which would mark the beginning of penalty-taking tactics.

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1986 FIFA World Cup -

During the penalty shoot-out between France and Brazil in the 1986 FIFA World Cup, Brazil's Zico approached his goalkeeper to discuss which way he should dive, laying the foundations for shoot-outs to become a more methodologically driven process.

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Methodology -

Ireland's performance in Genoa in 1990 (pictured) was a key moment for mental and physical preparation ahead of a penalty shoot-out, especially compared to England's defeat at the same tournament, which penalty taker Stuart Pearce admitted "very little, if none at all," was done to prepare.

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Methodology -

During the Ireland vs, Romania game at Italia 90, penalty-taker Kevin Sheedy told Packie Bonner (Republic of Ireland's goalkeeper) his strategy to hit the ball straight down the middle.

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Penalty shoot-out rules -

Penalty shoot-outs are separate to match results. Penalty shoot-out goals don't count towards a player's or the team's tally.

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Roberto Baggio -

Roberto Baggio of Italy has been a part of three different World Cup penalty shoot-outs, the most by any player in history.

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Before penalties are kicked -

According to professor Ignacio Palacios-Huerta of the London School of Economics, a team can increase their chances of winning a penalty shoot-out if they win the coin toss and choose to kick first.

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Before penalties are kicked -

Palacios-Huerta analyzed 1,343 penalty kicks from 129 shoot-outs and found that the team that went first won 60.5% of them.

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Increased pressure -

Research shows that if a player takes a penalty during normal time, they score an average of 85% of the time. But during a penalty shoot-out, the conversion rate of penalties taken drops to 76%. This is likely because players know their penalty may decide the game's outcome.

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Loss aversion -

If a player steps up to take a penalty that will win the shoot-out, the success rate rises to 92%, whereas if they have to score or else their team will lose, the likelihood of scoring drops to less than 60%.

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Turning your back on the goalkeeper -

Psychologists have found that players who turn their backs on the goalkeeper as they walk back to the start of the run-up are more likely to miss.

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Turning your back on the goalkeeper -

If a player turns their back on a goalkeeper as they walk back to the start of the run-up, they interrupt their preparation, focus on things they can't control, and send subtle cues to the goalkeeper as to where the ball is going to go.

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Spending too long looking at the goalkeeper -

In a study of 167 penalties, researchers found that players who were fixated on the goalkeeper were more anxious and missed more penalties.

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Don't rush -

Research shows players who take less than 200 milliseconds to respond to the referee blowing the whistle only score around 57% of the time.

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Pick a spot and commit to it -

Players are advised to commit to picking a spot, as changing their mind last minute leads to stress and poor technique.

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Mental preparation -

As soccer matches progress, sporting abilities are affected by the physical toll of the match. The pressure of a penalty shoot-out combined with fatigue can become too much for some players.

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Replicating the late game stage -

Sports scientists believe it's not enough to rely on training sessions for penalty-taking. Instead, coaches need to replicate the late game stage or high-pressure scenario.

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Goalkeepers -

Researchers have found that standing still is the optimum strategy for saving penalties. However, goalkeepers can't do this for every penalty, as opponents will quickly realize their plan, so a degree of randomness is needed.

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The color of the goalkeeper kit -

According to one study, the color of the goalkeeper kit may impact the likelihood of their opponent scoring. The fewest goals were scored against goalkeepers who wore red (54%) or yellow (69%).

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A group effort -

Penalty shoot-outs are often considered an individual test of skill. However, evidence suggests that a player celebrating a goal increases the entire team's chances of winning a shoot-out.

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A group effort -

Taking a penalty can be isolating, but support from the team watching at midfield can have a positive effect on the player taking the penalty.

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More than just luck -

Penalty shoot-outs are extremely hard to navigate, and there is more to them than luck. It's less about where a player should place the ball and more about trusting their ability and controlling their psychology.

Sources: (FIFA) (Olympics.com) (AnalyiSport)

See also: The making of the soccer fan 

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