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  "path": "/2026/06/30/take-englands-penalties-a-world-cup-shootout-28973774/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-30T06:00:00.000Z",
  "site": "https://metro.co.uk",
  "tags": [
    "Football",
    "Sport",
    "Anthony Gordon",
    "Bukayo Saka",
    "Declan Rice",
    "Democratic Republic of the Congo",
    "Eberechi Eze",
    "England men's football team",
    "Harry Kane",
    "Ivan Toney",
    "Jude Bellingham",
    "Marcus Rashford",
    "Ollie Watkins",
    "World Cup",
    "England",
    "Thomas Tuchel",
    "Gareth Southgate",
    "Italy",
    "Euro 2020",
    "Sign up",
    "Betarades",
    "Reece James",
    "Eberechi Eze says he would be happy to step up to the plate",
    "check our sport page",
    "Facebook",
    "Twitter",
    "Instagram",
    "Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source"
  ],
  "textContent": "Harry Kane had a penalty saved in England’s World Cup opener, but managed to score the retake (Photo: Getty)\n\nEngland’s World Cup journey continues on Wednesday evening when they face DR Congo in the round of 32 in Atlanta.\n\nAfter three somewhat nervy group games, there is no more room for error as Thomas Tuchel’s team look to end 60 years of hurt in North America.\n\nNow that the knockouts have begun, the Three Lions must prepare for the possibility of a penalty shootout, which will occur if the match finishes level after 90 minutes and then 30 minutes of extra-time.\n\nEngland’s relationship with spot-kicks greatly improved under Gareth Southgate, winning three of their last four shootouts – the one defeat was, of course, against Italy in the Euro 2020 final.\n\n##  Don't miss a World Cup moment\n\nEngland updates, match previews and exclusive analysis. Get it all in our daily World Cup newsletter. Sign up.\n\nBut who will step up to the plate if the occasion arises? Betarades have crunched the numbers to work out who should – and who shouldn’t – volunteer for a World Cup penalty shootout…\n\n## Which England players should take a penalty?\n\nIncluding shootouts, 18 of England’s 26-man squad have taken at least onepenalty during their senior careers for club and country.\n\nHarry Kane will no doubt take the first penalty. The captain had one saved in the opening game against Croatia but was allowed to retake after an encroachment and second time round he made no mistake.\n\nAnthony Gordon is statistically England’s strongest penalty taker (Photo: Getty)\n\nIvan Toney was a surprise inclusion in Tuchel’s squad but for good reason -the Al-Ahli star is a penalty specialist, renowned for his ice cold, ‘no look’ technique.\n\nBut surprisingly, there is another England player who boasts a better conversation rate from the spot, of those with a meaningful record: Anthony Gordon.\n\nWhile his performances against Croatia and Ghana left a lot to be desired, the Barcelona winger has scored 16 of his 17 career penalties, a staggering 94 per cent success rate.\n\nMarcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka missed in the Euro 2020 final but otherwise are strong from the spot. Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham haven’t taken many penalties but almost always score when they do.\n\nReece James and Elliot Anderson are five out of five from the spot, but a lot will depend on who is still on the pitch after 120 minutes. Rice and Saka are struggling for fitness, James is sidelined and Jarell Quansah is an injury doubt.\n\n## Which England players should NOT take a penalty?\n\nEberechi Eze must be kept away from any penalty shootout (Photo: Getty)\n\nOf those with meaningful records, Ollie Watkins is England’s worst penalty taker, with a rather woeful 56 per cent conversion rate.\n\nEberechi Eze says he would be happy to step up to the plate but has missed three of his last four, most notably firing wide in Arsenal’s Champions League final defeat to PSG.\n\nVeteran Jordan Henderson was the only player to miss in the 2018 World Cup shootout win against Colombia, while Morgan Rogers has missed the only penalty of his career so far.\n\nQuansah, Nico O’Reilly, Marc Guehi, Djed Spence, Trevoh Chalobah, Dan Burn, Dean Henderson and James Trafford have never taken a penalty in their career.\n\n**For more stories like this, check our sport page**.\n\n**Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on**Facebook,** Twitter and Instagram**.\n\nComment now Comments \nAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source\n",
  "title": "Who should take England’s penalties in a World Cup shootout?"
}