​Here we go again. England have reached the knockout stages of the 2026 World Cup, and the specter of penalties hangs over every tense moment as they prepare for a quarter-final against Norway. England’s relationship with shootouts has been a tortured one for years. They were eliminated from Italia ‘90 by West Germany in a heart-breaking penalty shootout, and they later tasted defeat to Argentina in 1998 and Portugal in 2006 in the same manner. The long losing streak finally ended in 2018 when Gareth Southgate’s careful preparation paid off in England’s first-ever World Cup shootout win, against Colombia in the round of 16.
In the build-up to the Norway clash, questions surround England’s continued reliance on penalties. England have since claimed shootout victories against Switzerland in 2019 and 2024, straddling a painful Euro 2020 final exit to Italy. It is widely noted that roughly a third of World Cup knockout games go to extra time, with about a quarter ending in penalties. Thomas Tuchel has suggested that if England are to win the World Cup in North America, they will probably need to emerge victorious in two penalty shootouts along the way. He has declared that he intends to continue the approach established by Southgate, maintaining that penalty preparation is a central, highly organized component of modern football. “I have spent years at the highest level developing a penalty programme that is simple to implement once the players are identified as the best shooters. We trained it. We have a process in place. So we are prepared. This has become such a vital part of football now that you can prepare and do the best to be ready. We have assistant coaches and background staff who have built one of the finest programmes I have witnessed, so we know exactly what is going to happen. And the platform is there.”
But the lingering question remains: who will take England’s penalties when the moment arrives? The squad’s penalty history gives some clues. Harry Kane, England’s captain, is expected to take the first penalty. He has already converted 19 penalties this season for Bayern Munich and England, including a retaken spot-kick against Croatia in the group stage. Kane’s approach blends two techniques—at times stuttering in his run-up and waiting for the goalkeeper to move before tucking the ball away on the opposite side, and at other times charging in with power. This variation helps keep goalkeepers guessing. Kane’s penalty record is notable for its resilience: he missed a high-profile bar against France in Qatar’s quarter-final, but then went nearly three years without missing another, and he has never missed in a shootout across five attempts.
England’s other leading options in penalties include Bukayo Saka’s successor’s potential contributions, and other senior attackers who have been trusted by the team in high-pressure moments. Kane finished the Croatia shootout by scoring on the second attempt, demonstrating composure under pressure. In the broader context, two other players—one of whom is a versatile forward—have both faced scrutiny over penalty duties, with Tuchel and the coaching staff emphasizing a rigorous, data-driven approach to selecting takers based on form, confidence, and historical success in shootouts. The exact lineup for penalties, however, will be determined weeks and moments before kick-off, and will depend on the team’s performance in the run-up to the quarter-final.
As England prepare to face Norway, the focus remains on their ability to manage the psychological and technical pressures of a potential shootout. The team has shown resilience and a growing history of success from the spot, but the reality of knockout football is that every decision, from the initial penalty taker to the order of shooters and the goalkeeper’s preparation, will be scrutinized if a game heads to extra time or penalties. The ongoing discussion about who will step up when required reflects both the experience within the squad and the ever-present need to refine and trust the process that has carried England through recent high-stakes moments.