Euro 2024

ENGLAND’S penalty success could be down a breathing coach who also moonlights as a Radio 1 DJ.The Three Lions put in a flawless performance from the spot in their quarter-final Euros win over Switzerland.England have a breathing workshop to thank for their penalties win over SwitzerlandCredit: GettyRadio 1 DJ Stuart Sandeman is a breathing expert who helped the Three Lions control their nervesCredit: Stuart SandemanHe worked with England in the run-up to their quarter-final winCredit: GettyStars like Cole Palmer could be seen gulping in air before their penaltyCredit: GettyCole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Ivan Toney and Trent Alexander-Arnold did their country proud by slotting home all five of England’s penalties.While Jordan Pickford produced a fine effort to deny Switzerland’s first effort from Manuel Akanji.The Three Lions’ heroics mean they face Holland on Wednesday evening for a place in Sunday’s final against either Spain or France.And should England go all the way, Gareth Southgate is likely to buy a thank-you card for breathing specialist Stuart Sandeman. READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe 41-year-old, who also works as a DJ for BBC Radio 1, is a master breathing guru who styles himself as a ‘Breathwork Trainer’.He jetted out to England’s training base in Germany last week and engaged in a breathing workshop with the 26-man squad to help calm nerves and improve focus.Sandeman instructed players to breathe in for five seconds and out for the same amount of time “during high pressure moments.”He explained the technique helps to “let muscles, tissues, nerves and minds reset, so that when it’s time to switch back on, you’re able to perform at your best.”Most read in Euro 2024EURO 2024 FREE BETS AND OFFERSSpeaking before England’s win over Switzerland, and after the last-16 victory against Slovakia, Sandeman said: “There’s no greater indication of the powerful link between breathing and performance than England including breathwork to aid the team’s recovery at Euro 2024 after Sunday’s win.“I’m humbled that they chose me to lead these sessions.”The Sun’s Charlie Wyett England review as ‘lucky’ Three Lions squeak by Switzerland in dramatic penalty shootoutSandeman ran through numerous exercises at England’s training base in GermanyCredit: GettyStars were instructed to breathe in for five seconds and release for the same amount of timeCredit: GettyDeclan Rice reminded pals to use the techniques ahead of the shootoutCredit: GettyEngland’s penalty shootout recordTHE dreaded penalty shootout.England’s nemesis at no fewer than EIGHT major tournaments since 1990, from the West Germany heartache at Italia 90 to Wembley woes on the brink of Euro 2020 final glory.But the perfect shootout win over Switzerland at Euro 2024 gives some reason for optimism…1990 World Cup semi-final vs WEST GERMANY, 04/07/1990 – LOST 4-3Euro 1996 quarter-final vs SPAIN, 22/06/1996 – WON 4-2Euro 1996 semi-final vs WEST GERMANY, 26/06/1996 – LOST 6-5Friendly vs BELGIUM, 29/05/1998 – LOST 4-31998 World Cup last 16 vs ARGENTINA, 30/06/1998 – LOST 4-3Euro 2004 quarter-final vs PORTUGAL, 24/06/2004 – LOST 6-52006 World Cup quarter-final vs PORTUGAL, 01/07/2006 – LOST 3-1Euro 2012 quarter-final vs ITALY, 24/06/2012 – LOST 4-22018 World Cup last 16 vs COLOMBIA, 03/07/2018 – WON 4-3Nations League third-place play-off vs SWITZERLAND, 09/06/2019 – WON 6-5Euro 2020 final vs ITALY, 11/07/2021 – LOST 3-2Euro 2024 last-16 vs SWITZERLAND, 06/07/24 – WON 5-3OVERALL: Played 12 Won 4, Lost 8The likes of Palmer and Toney could be seen sucking in the air before their penalties smashed the back of the net.But it was Declan Rice, who didn’t take a spot-kick, who was seemingly most influenced by Sandeman’s session.Luke Shaw revealed that Rice reminded team-mates about the breathing techniques after 120 minutes, admitting most players’ minds were elsewhere.He said: “Declan was our speaker, he was calming everyone down and telling them to do their breathing techniques and manifest them. It was needed.”Meanwhile, Bellingham thanked England coach and former Chelsea star Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink for also helping the players remain calm from the spot.He said: “I was really confident in my preparation, confident in the things I talked through with Hasselbaink, he’s stepped up for us massively.“It’s the work he does behind closed doors, with the lads being willing to take on that information, that put us in those situations in order to be able to win.”Jude Bellingham thanked Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink for inspiring England’s penalty winCredit: PABellingham fired home his spot-kick with aplombCredit: GettyEngland’s five-point penalty shootout planEXPERT football psychologist Professor Geir Jordet has told Gareth Southgate and his players what they can do to give themselves the best chance of victory in any shootouts.And he has even thrown in a rogue, bold suggestion for the Three Lions manager…1. START PLANNING LAST YEAR “It’s about planning for the opposition’s penalty takers but also ‘how do we win the psychological game against each opponent?’2. SMART SOUTHGATE LEADERSHIP”Southgate will have two minutes to influence his players as effectively as possible, show he has a plan and get confidence across.”3. DICTATE AS A TEAM”A shootout is really a team performance. Have the goalkeeper walk with the penalty taker into the penalty area to basically create a two-versus-one against the other goalkeeper. Dominate the centre circle, support the players who missed.”4. ‘BULLETPROOF’ INDIVIDUAL ROUTINES “Have really good, individualised and rehearsed pre-shot routines that are bulletproof and polished so they’re more likely to be able to resist the stress and more likely to score.”5. SHOOT YOUR SHOT  “Practise the shot itself, trying to simulate penalty shootouts in training. Even recreating 20 per cent of a Euros final penalty shootout is going to have a benefit for your performance.”AND A JOR DROPPING IDEA…Jordan Pickford is the No1 but Dean Henderson actually has a far better penalty record – saving 8/22 (36 per cent) compared to Pickford’s 8/62 (13 per cent).Jordet said: “One could consider making a late substitution for a penalty shootout. I doubt that they dare to do it in case it fails and the pressure is even higher but it would be a very ballsy move.” More

JORDAN PICKFORD’S heroics have seen England finally put to bed their penalty shootout nightmare. The goalkeeper was again a saviour as Gareth Southgate’s side beat Switzerland 5-3 on spot-kicks to book their spot in the Euros semi-final.Jordan Pickford was the hero for England againCredit: GettyHe brilliantly denied Manuel Akanji’s effort to help the Three Lions throughCredit: AlamyHis cheat sheet water bottle has been key to England’s penalty improvementsCredit: gettyPickford has a strong shootout record – saving from Jorginho in the 2020 Euros finalCredit: GettyPickford also made a crucial save versus Colombia in 2018Credit: EPAPickford, with the help of his water bottle cheat sheet that said which direction the Swiss players were likely to shoot in, saved Manuel Akanji’s effort as all five England players found the back of the net.Before the Everton stopper pulled on the No 1 shirt, the Three Lions had lost seven of their eight shootouts.But with Pickford between the sticks, England have won three of four.The only defeat came in the Euro 2020 final to Italy – although he saved Andrea Belotti and Jorginho’s shots.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLColombia star Carlos Bacca was denied in the 2018 World Cup.And Swiss duo Josip Drmic in the 2019 Nations League and Akanji on Saturday have also not been able to convert against Pickford.In total, he has saved five of 20 shootout penalties he has faced.That is more than double all other England keepers managed between them from 1990 to 2012.Most read in Euro 2024BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSThey saved just two combined from a possible 29, with their save percentage at a woeful 6.5 per cent.And in major tournaments, Pickford’s record is up at 26.3 per cent.Quick-thinking England hero Jordan Pickford was forced to change penalty shootout routine at last minute vs SwitzerlandHis pre-penalty antics help get in the minds of his opponent and he was seen pulling faces at Switzerland players in Dusseldorf.And the mental side of the shootout is something England have been working on.The improvements in penalties are six years in the making – since a penalty project team was launched by the FA. The game insights lead Chris Markham reached out to Geir Jordet – a Norwegian sports psychologist who is a leading expert on spot kicks, dubbed ‘The Penalty Professor’.Markham had read Jordet’s book, Pressure: Lessons from the psychology of the penalty shootout, and wanted to pick his brains.Among the tips they received was to slow down and control momentum. Pickford cleverly dragged things out before Akanji’s shot.Jordet told SunSport: “What Pickford showed particularly leading up to the Akanji penalty was a very smart move.”This was all part of his plan. He had him wait for 14 seconds. “This is one of the most consistent findings in my data on goalkeeper involvement.”If goalkeepers are able to stall or delay so that penalty takers have to stand in that position and wait eight or more seconds then these players score on just 44 per cent of their kicks.”England penalty takers were also encouraged to develop a routine before their shots to control nerves, with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink helping with penalty preparation. The famous cheat sheet water bottle also helps simplify things for Pickford – but Gary Lineker is worried opponents are now wise to his tricks.READ MORE SUN STORIESSpeaking on the Rest is Football podcast, he said: “One player is going to look at that bottle.”If you are listening do it differently, do it on a different piece of paper or do it on the post.”England’s penalty shootout recordTHE dreaded penalty shootout.England’s nemesis at no fewer than EIGHT major tournaments since 1990, from the West Germany heartache at Italia 90 to Wembley woes on the brink of Euro 2020 final glory.But the perfect shootout win over Switzerland at Euro 2024 gives some reason for optimism…1990 World Cup semi-final vs WEST GERMANY, 04/07/1990 – LOST 4-3Euro 1996 quarter-final vs SPAIN, 22/06/1996 – WON 4-2Euro 1996 semi-final vs WEST GERMANY, 26/06/1996 – LOST 6-5Friendly vs BELGIUM, 29/05/1998 – LOST 4-31998 World Cup last 16 vs ARGENTINA, 30/06/1998 – LOST 4-3Euro 2004 quarter-final vs PORTUGAL, 24/06/2004 – LOST 6-52006 World Cup quarter-final vs PORTUGAL, 01/07/2006 – LOST 3-1Euro 2012 quarter-final vs ITALY, 24/06/2012 – LOST 4-22018 World Cup last 16 vs COLOMBIA, 03/07/2018 – WON 4-3Nations League third-place play-off vs SWITZERLAND, 09/06/2019 – WON 6-5Euro 2020 final vs ITALY, 11/07/2021 – LOST 3-2Euro 2024 last-16 vs SWITZERLAND, 06/07/24 – WON 5-3OVERALL: Played 12 Won 4, Lost 8 More