Few moments in football carry as much tension as a penalty shootout. Here’s a quick guide to how they work and why they produce some of the sport’s most memorable drama.
The Basic Rules
After 90 minutes and extra time end level, each team selects five players to take alternating penalties. Whichever side scores more after five rounds wins; if scores remain level, it moves to sudden death, one penalty at a time, until a winner emerges.
Why They’re So Nerve-Wracking
Unlike open play, a penalty shootout isolates a single player against the goalkeeper with the whole match riding on the outcome. That pressure has produced some of football’s most iconic highs and lows.
Famous Shootouts
From World Cup finals to domestic cup upsets, shootouts have decided some of the biggest matches in the sport’s history, cementing their place as one of football’s most dramatic conclusions.
