GERMANY have a secret list of penalty takers if needed against England tonight and ‘can hardly lose’, German media claim.
Bild have released a list of who will take the penalties if tonight’s Euro 2020 crunch clash goes all the way.
And the German publication taunted that Joachim Low’s side ‘can hardly lose’ if a shoot-out is needed to settle the last-16 showdown.
Germany have a strong record in penalty shootouts having lost just one of seven in major tournaments.
The report in Bild says ‘penalty shootouts are our speciality’ and Low’s side have been practising since Saturday.
And the five players named as German penalty takers are – Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller, Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka and Kai Havertz.
A back-up list in case any of those players are not on the pitch is made up of Ilkay Gundogan, Marcel Halstenberg and Matthias Ginter.
The report also poked fun at England’s poor penalty record having lost six of their eight shoot-outs since 1990 – ‘against us, among others’.
England have an infamously poor penalty shoot-out record against the Germans, losing in the semi-finals of both Italia 90 and Euro 96 – with now-boss Gareth Southgate missing his effort in the latter.
⚽ BETTING SPECIAL ⚽
- GET ENGLAND TO QUALIFY AT 30/1 – HERE
- GET ENGLAND TO BEAT GERMANY AT 14/1 – HERE
- GET STERLING OR HAVERTZ TO HAVE A SHOT ON TARGET AT 35/1 – HERE
- GET KANE TO HAVE A SHOT ON TARGET AT 35/1 – HERE
- GET £40 IN FREE BETS WITH SKY BET – HERE
- GET SUNSPORT’S 50/1 BET BUILDER TIP – HERE
Many of the youthful Three Lions squad weren’t alive for the Euro 96 heartbreak on home soil, while only Kyle Walker and Jordan Henderson were born before Italia 90, both by a matter of weeks.
But England have still lost many a shootout in recent years including major tournament exits in 1998, 2004, 2006 and 2012.
However, Southgate boasts a wealth of spot-taking talent in his squad should Tuesday’s clash go the distance and will hope to add to their 2018 World Cup last-16 shootout win over Colombia.
Two players – Jadon Sancho and Dominic Calvert-Lewin – both boast 100 per cent record for their career for club and country.
Sancho has taken and scored four, including one for England – while Calvert-Lewin has two in two, with one of those for his country.
It suggests those two should be on the pitch if the match nears the end of extra-time – however, Southgate has so far been reluctant to use them, giving the England boss a dilemma.
Three more players all boast strong success rates of 80 per cent of higher.
Captain Harry Kane has scored 45 of his 51 attempts (88 per cent), including a staggering 11 for England.
Marcus Rashford has only missed two of his 16 spot-kicks (87 per cent), while netting four for his country. His injury time penalty for Manchester United against PSG in 2019 suggests he has the stomach for a high-pressure pen.
Mason Mount has scored four of his five penalties (80 per cent) – all for his clubs down the years, including one for Derby in their shock Carabao Cup win over Manchester United in 2018-19.
Kalvin Phillips has only skewed one of his three efforts (67 per cent) but is yet to take one for his country.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
