“Watching England’s penalties in their shootout victory over Switzerland in the Euro 2024 quarter-final, it would be tempting to think: why do people always make penalties look so hard. Because the five penalties — by Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Ivan Toney and Trent Alexander-Arnold — England took were so good it all looked very easy indeed. But, of course, it wasn’t — as generations of England players and fans will tell you. This was a long way from the failures of the past: this was a team that knew what they were doing, who had planned it all meticulously. It was the successful conclusion to a process that England have had in place for most of Gareth Southgate’s tenure but has been refined over the years. …”
NY Times/The Athletic
NY Times/The Athletic – Euro 2024 day 23: England’s ‘cheat code’ water bottle and can the Netherlands go all the way?
England penalties vs Switzerland analysed: Buddy system, Pickford bottle, crucial pauses
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“By this point, it’s time to accept that 
“Sometimes it happens. High stakes, growing tension, a sheer desperation not to lose — the biggest games can light a fire within compulsive competitors that catches too quickly, spreads across the pitch, and burns any sense of spectacle to the ground. Uruguay’s Copa America quarterfinal clash with Brazil fell foul to that intensity: an ugly collision of arms, legs and bodies constantly interrupted by the referee’s whistle. By the time Dario Herrera signalled for the end, it felt as if the contest had barely been given the chance to begin. …”
Scissors Kick 