Who's in the frame to take penalties for England at Euro 2024?
(Image credit: Alamy)
As an England fan, it's impossible to get through a major tournament without any mention of the P-word: penalties.
The Three Lions' shootout record has improved in recent years – they've win two out of three under Gareth Southgate – but stepping up from 12 yards, even outside of football's ultimate, fate-deciding lottery, remains a high-pressure situation.
Thankfully, England have a few reliable penalty takers likely to be on the plane to Germany for Euro 2024.
Every England player's penalty record: 1. Harry Kane
Harry Kane (Image credit: Alamy)
England penalties taken during regular play: 25
England penalties scored during regular play: 21
England penalties taken in shootouts: 2
England penalties scored in shootouts: 2
If England are awarded a penalty at any point during Euro 2024, there's only one man picking up the ball: captain Harry Kane, who has a conversion rate of 84% outside of shootouts.
One of the very best penalty takers in the world, the Three Lions' record goalscorer will also probably be the first to step up in any shootout (which we're back to hating after how the last Euros ended...).
2. Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford (Image credit: Alamy)
England penalties taken during regular play: 3
England penalties scored during regular play: 3
England penalties taken in shootouts: 2
England penalties scored in shootouts: 1
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The only current England player other than Harry Kane to have taken a non-shootout penalty, Marcus Rashford has a 100% record in that respect.
He may have hit the post with his kick during the Euro 2020 final shootout defeat to Italy, but the Manchester United man was successful as the Three Lions beat Colombia in the 2018 World Cup last 16 to record their first spot-kicks win since Euro 96.
3. Harry Maguire
Harry Maguire (Image credit: Alamy)
England penalties taken in shootouts: 2
England penalties scored in shootouts: 2
There's no nonsense from Harry Maguire when he puts the ball down on the penalty spot: he simply smashes it – and he's buried it both times he's taken one in a shootout for England, in the final of Euro 2020 and in the third place play-off of the 2018/19 Nations League against Switzerland.
4. Kieran Trippier
Kieran Trippier (Image credit: Alamy)
England penalties taken in shootouts: 1
England penalties scored in shootouts: 1
Kieran Trippier's one England penalty to date was a big one: it put Gareth Southgate's side on the cusp of victory over Colombia at the 2018 World Cup.
5. Jordan Pickford
Jordan Pickford (Image credit: Alamy)
England penalties taken in shootouts: 1
England penalties scored in shootouts: 1
Everyone loves a penalty-taking goalkeeper – and Jordan Pickford dispatched his, in that Nations League shootout win over Switzerland, as emphatically as you'd expect from such a perennially pumped-up shot-stopper.
6. Bukayo Saka
Bukayo Saka (Image credit: Alamy)
England penalties taken in shootouts: 1
England penalties scored in shootouts: 0
Bukayo Saka had the misfortune of taking the penalty which handed the Euro 2020 title to Italy, seeing his effort saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma – but the Arsenal star has put away plenty of pens for his club, and he won't shy away from stepping up for England again if called upon.
Tom Hancock started freelancing for FourFourTwo in April 2019 and has also written for the Premier League and Opta Analyst, among others. He supports Wycombe Wanderers and has a soft spot for Wealdstone. A self-confessed statto, he has been known to watch football with a spreadsheet (or several) open...
