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The World Cup's cruelest lottery — and one country keeps losing it
💡 Germany has the best World Cup penalty shootout record (4 wins from 5), while England has the worst among top nations (1 win from 5).
Penalty shootouts have decided 30 World Cup knockout matches since they were introduced in 1982 — and no nation has suffered more than England. The Three Lions have lost 4 out of 5 World Cup shootouts, making their record the worst of any major footballing nation.
The numbers tell a fascinating story. Germany sits at the opposite end with a near-perfect shootout record, winning 4 out of 5. Their secret? Sports psychologists have found that German players take longer walks to the spot and place the ball more deliberately, using routine to manage pressure.
The longest World Cup shootout ever went to 10 rounds — Argentina vs. France in the 2022 final, ending 4-2 after both teams scored in the initial five kicks. Statistically, the team that shoots first wins about 60% of the time, which is why winning the coin toss before a shootout matters more than most fans realize.