Penalty shootouts have generally been a source of pain for England fans. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Their first ever World Cup shootout win came against Colombia at the 2018 World Cup, and they followed that up by beating Switzerland in a Nations League shootout. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since then, however, they heartbreakingly lost the Euro 2020 final from 12 yards against Italy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gareth Southgate\u2019s team continue to make history. In the round of 16 in Qatar, they won a knockout match at a third consecutive major tournament for the first time ever. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As they hope to end their 56-year silverware drought, it\u2019s a good time to take a look at the best penalty takers in Southgate\u2019s squad. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unlike some previous England squads, the group in Qatar isn\u2019t packed with regular penalty takers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Harry Kane is by far the Three Lions\u2019 most experienced and most reliable from the spot, with 62 of 72 scored in his career, including a perfect five from five in shootouts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Tottenham striker emphatically fired home with the first penalty against Italy in the Euros final. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kane, however, has already missed a couple of penalties this season, and Kasper Schmeichel initially saved his effort in the Euros semi-final last summer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If a shootout is required in Qatar, you would still expect Kane to step up first. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marcus Rashford stepped up third and missed in the Euros final, and he didn\u2019t play again for England until the first game of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
His record from the spot remains very strong with 15 of 18 converted, however, and he has scored two of three in shootouts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There isn\u2019t a more recent track record for Rashford, as he hasn\u2019t taken a penalty since that gutting night at Wembley. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
His improved form for club and country could see him make Southgate\u2019s final five in a potential shootout line-up this winter, though. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jordan Henderson doesn\u2019t have much of a penalty-taking track record, plus it is hard to see how he lasts 120 minutes on the pitch if Southgate continues to start the veteran alongside Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice in midfield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the other hand, Southgate has repeatedly shown how much he values experience, and Henderson\u2019s big-game knowhow will only be more important the later England go in the tournament. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After youngsters Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka missed at Wembley, could Southgate opt to put the pressure on some of his older players?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite replacing Kane in the Nations League playoff, Callum Wilson was left out of England\u2019s five takers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wilson has scored 17 of 20 career penalties, but has only ever taken one in a shootout, which he scored against Newport County a couple of years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is fair to say the stakes will be somewhat higher if Wilson has to step up in Qatar, and in all likelihood, he will only be in contention for a spot kick if Southgate has a penalty-motivated substitution to make in the final minutes of extra time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Would Southgate risk making such changes again?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is a bizarre feel to Harry Maguire\u2019s penalty-taking statistics. The much-maligned central defender has taken the most shootout penalties of anyone in the squad with nine, and he has never taken a penalty from regular play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maguire has missed three of those, which doesn\u2019t exactly bode well, but his most recent failure to score was seven years ago against Accrington Stanley. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There were reasonable questions about Maguire\u2019s confidence before this tournament. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He has again proven to be a much calmer performer with a Three Lions jersey on, however, and he has never let England down in a shootout, converting impressively against both Italy and Switzerland. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since missing the decisive spot kick against Italy at Euro 2020, Bukayo Saka has flourished for club and country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After the disgraceful abuse that followed that miss, it would have been understandable if Saka steered clear of penalties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead, he has embraced the responsibility, scoring from 12 yards against Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United. He has not missed a penalty since that final. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A player\u2019s form might not count for much if it comes down to a shootout, but it is worth mentioning that Saka has held off others to become Southgate\u2019s first choice on the right flank, and has three goals ahead of the quarter-final against France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kieran Trippier has only scored three of five career penalties, but he has scored all three in shootouts, including a thumping finish against Colombia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trippier could yet return to the starting XI if Southgate opts to return to the back three.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If experience becomes a factor in decision making for a penalty line-up, Trippier has that on his side with his involvement in several major tournaments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He might not be a regular from the spot, yet the Newcastle man is no stranger to the intense environment of a World Cup shootout. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Part of Trippier\u2019s case is based on his pure ball-striking ability, and the same goes for Trent Alexander-Arnold. Like Trippier, Alexander-Arnold has taken three and scored three in shootouts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He has controversially been an afterthought under Southgate, but the Liverpool full-back is very familiar with big-time knockout matches thanks to Liverpool\u2019s numerous deep runs in the Champions League.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It would probably take an injury or two for Alexander-Arnold to be on the pitch for a shootout. It\u2019s hard to envisage Southgate introducing him as a penalty-inspired sub. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kane, Rashford and Wilson are the only players in the squad to have taken more penalties than James Maddison. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The much-hyped Leicester City attacking midfielder has only scored 10 of his 14 efforts, but he also doesn\u2019t seem like the kind of personality to get spooked by the pressure of a shootout. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maddison is a candidate to come off the bench late in extra time for a spot kick. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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