How a World Cup penalty shootout actually feels – ‘lengthy stroll’, worry and England ‘drawback’
The dreaded penalty shootout is one of the most drama-filled moments a World Cup could ever throw up.
A simple kick from 12 yards turns into the ultimate test of nerve on the big stage, to the point where even the Germans have now succumbed to a shootout exit at the hands of Paraguay. Netherlands then followed them on the plane back to Europe just hours after in the same fashion.
England could well be relying on their bottle on penalties later in the tournament with a nightmare test against Mexico in the Estadio Azteca to come in the last 32 on Monday, and the occasion will be ramped up if they overcome the hosts who have lost only two of 89 competitive home matches on the famous ground.
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Speaking exclusively to the Daily Star Sport, thanks to Immersive Gamebox, former England midfielder Paul Merson said he will never criticise a player for missing when they have shown the courage to step up – just like he did in the 1998 World Cup against Argentina.
“I never have a problem with players missing. I have a problem with the players who don’t take them,” he said.
“So, for anybody who takes a penalty and misses, not a problem. You don’t miss on purpose. You know, it’s different to any other time.
“There’ll be players there that will experience something they’ve never experienced on a football pitch before, and that is the walk from the halfway line to that penalty spot knowing that the whole country is watching you.
“If you’re an Arsenal player, every Tottenham fan wants you to score that penalty. And if you’re a Liverpool player, every Man United fan wants you to score that penalty. And if you’re a Sunderland player, every Newcastle fan wants… and that’s how big it is, that everybody’s together.
“I just think it’s something they’ll never do, some people will never have that experience ever again, taking a penalty. It’s so much different to scoring in the Premier League or Championship or the EFL. So, for me, yeah, good luck, don’t worry about it if you miss, give it your best.”
Merson recalled the fateful shootout which saw the Three Lions crash out 4-3 from 12 yards against Argentina, with David Batty missing the crucial effort.
The former Arsenal and Aston Villa icon explained what Glenn Hoddle had told him before he stepped up to take his spot-kick in 1998: “Glenn Hoddle told me, “You will not miss.” And I believed him. And I didn’t.
“It is hard, don’t get me wrong. It’s so different. People say it ain’t different, it is. You know, if I put a plank down here now, a wooden plank, and I said, “Walk across it,” you’d walk across that like it was no tomorrow.
“If I put it 40 feet up in the air, it’s still the same plank, but you wouldn’t be able to walk across it, would you? You wouldn’t walk across it the same way, and it’s that thinking with the penalties.
“It’s the standing, it’s that walk. It’s just a long, long, long walk. And as you’re getting nearer and nearer, the goal starts getting smaller and smaller.”
Merson spent Father’s Day with a footballing family showdown at Immersive Gamebox, taking on its brand-new Football Arcade experience alongside his 11-year-old son Freddie.
With the World Cup in full swing, Football Arcade recreates the feeling of tournament football in a format anyone can enjoy, whether they are football-mad or have never kicked a ball before.
Designed for teams of two to six players who choose a nation, customise their avatar and compete on a global leaderboard, with a $10,000 grand prize up for grabs.
