ENGLAND has the world’s best penalty takers except in shoot-outs, boffins say.
Players have scored nine in ten of those given during European Championship and World Cup games — ahead of Brazil and Spain.
England has world’s best penalty takers except in shoot-outs, boffins have revealedCredit: Getty – Contributor
Yet England’s scoring rate in shoot-outs is the worst at six in ten.
The Germans put away 85 per cent in shoot-outs — ten per cent up on their game rate — with Brazil and Italy on 69 per cent.
Current England boss Gareth Southgate missed from the spot in the semi-final of Euro 96 — against the Germans.
But sports psychologist Michel Brinkschulte said: “People believe English players miss more penalties than they actually do.”
He said English players are as good as any at taking spot-kicks.
But Mr Brinkschulte, of German Sport University Cologne, suggested the stereotype may cause England players to “choke under pressure”.
He added: “This results in these thoughts coming to their minds — either consciously or subconsciously.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
