The scars of England’s penalty shoot-out failures have seared themselves into the national psyche.
The ritual is as familiar as it is excruciating. England reach the knockout stages of a big tournament and the English public rouse themselves, yet again. This time — cry God for Harry, England and St George — they’ll make it to the final. Then, after a performance full of grit, they lose in the penalty shoot-out.
Now German scientists have offered a crumb of comfort. After analysing more than four decades’ worth of football data they have deduced that there is no English “penalty curse”.
Instead, they have concluded that England has some of the best penalty takers in the world and that the shoot-out anguish is best explained by
