Penalty Shootout Facts and Stats in EURO History

Penalty shootouts are always a nerve-wracking aspect of the European Championship. In this article, we'll delve into the history of penalty shootouts at the EUROs, uncover which countries have the best and worst records, and provide insights into remarkable statistics. Prepare for EURO 2024 with these intriguing facts about penalties!

The first penalty shootouts: the beginning of a legend

Penalty shootouts made their debut in the 1976 EURO final. After a 2-2 draw, Czechoslovakia defeated West Germany 5-3 in a dramatic shootout. Antonín Panenka made history by scoring the winning penalty with a delicate chip down the middle, a style now known as the 'Panenka'.

• First penalty shootout: 1976, Czechoslovakia vs. West Germany
• Panenka style: Subtle, middle of the goal

The kings of penalty shootouts

Czech Republic, including their former guise as Czechoslovakia, boast a perfect record with three wins in three shootouts. Turkey follows with a 100% success rate, winning their only shootout at EURO 2008 against Croatia.

• Czech Republic: Won 3 out of 3
• Turkey: Won 1 out of 1

Italy and Spain have each won four penalty shootouts, the most in European Championship history. Italy has secured their four wins from seven shootouts, while Spain has won four out of six.

• Italy: Won 4 out of 7
• Spain: Won 4 out of 6

The losers: countries with the worst records

England has a notoriously poor record, losing four of their five penalty shootouts. It started well in 1996, but since then, England has lost to Germany, Portugal, and twice to Italy.

• England: Won 1 out of 5
• Croatia and Sweden: Lost their only shootout

The Netherlands also have a disappointing history, losing three out of their four shootouts.

• Netherlands: Won 1 out of 4

The longest and shortest penalty shootouts in EURO history

Some shootouts can be lengthy. Two EURO shootouts hold the record for the most penalties taken, with 18 kicks each. This occurred during the 1980 third-place play-off between Italy and Czechoslovakia and the 2016 quarter-final between Italy and Germany.

• Longest shootouts: 18 kicks (1980, 2016)

The shortest shootout was in 2008 between Croatia and Turkey, with just seven penalties taken. Croatia missed three of their four attempts.

• Shortest shootout: 7 kicks (2008)

Goalkeepers and their remarkable performances

The EURO 2020 final between Italy and England featured four saved penalties, with both Gianluigi Donnarumma and Jordan Pickford making two saves each. Donnarumma also saved a penalty in the semi-final against Spain, becoming the only goalkeeper to stop three penalties in a single European Championship tournament.

• Gianluigi Donnarumma: 3 saves in one tournament

Statistics and trends: what we can learn

An interesting statistic is that the eighth penalty in a shootout is most likely to be missed. Only 47.6% of these penalties are scored. Additionally, the fourth penalty has a notoriously low conversion rate of 62.8%.

• Eighth penalty: 47.6% success rate
• Fourth penalty: 62.8% success rate

Surprisingly, penalties taken during sudden death have a higher conversion rate (76.9%) than the first 10 penalties of a shootout (76.7%).

What this means for EURO 2024

Penalty shootouts remain a crucial and thrilling part of the European Championship. Whether it’s legendary moments like Panenka's 1976 chip or the nerve-wracking shootouts between Italy and England in 2020, these instances create indelible memories. As we gear up for EURO 2024, it’s clear that penalty shootouts will again play a significant role in deciding the champion.

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Discover all about penalty shootouts at the European Championship. Learn more about their history and records ahead of EURO 2024.

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