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15 July 2026

Here we go once again. England have reached the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup, and with Argentina awaiting them in the semi-finals, the tension of potential penalty shootouts once more haunts the team and their supporters.

For decades, England’s association with penalty shootouts was a painful one. They were eliminated from Italia ’90 by West Germany on penalties, and suffered subsequent heartbreaks against Argentina in 1998 and Portugal in 2006 in the same manner.

That run of despair finally ended in 2018, when Gareth Southgate’s careful planning led to England’s first-ever World Cup shootout victory, defeating Colombia in the round of 16.

Since then, England have won two more shootouts against Switzerland — in 2019 and 2024 — though their Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy remains a bitter memory.

Roughly one-third of World Cup knockout matches go into extra time, with about a quarter ending in penalties. Thomas Tuchel has suggested that if England are to lift the World Cup in North America, they might need to triumph in two shootouts along the way. So far, that scenario has not materialised.

Tuchel pledged to continue the detailed groundwork laid by Southgate. “I have – on the highest level, for many years – a penalty programme that makes it easy for me to identify the best shooters. We’ve trained for it. We have a system in place. So we are prepared.

“This has become a crucial and unique aspect of football now, something you can prepare for, and we’ve done that. We’ve got assistant coaches and backroom staff who have put together one of the best programmes I’ve seen. So we know exactly what to expect. The structure is ready.”

So, who are England’s top penalty takers likely to step up when the decisive moment arrives?

Harry Kane
123 taken, 109 scored (89%)

England’s captain will almost certainly take the first penalty. Kane has converted 19 spot-kicks this season for Bayern Munich and England, including his successful retake against Croatia in the group stage.

Kane uses a mix of techniques — sometimes pausing in his run-up to wait for the goalkeeper to move before slotting it the other way, and sometimes driving the ball with power. This variation keeps goalkeepers guessing.

Although he missed a crucial penalty against France in the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals, Kane went nearly three years without another miss and has never failed in a shootout, scoring all five of his attempts.

Ivan Toney
62 taken, 58 scored (94%)

Both Toney and Tuchel have stressed that the striker’s inclusion in the squad isn’t solely for penalties. However, it’s fair to say that without his extraordinary record from 12 yards, the Al-Ahli striker might be on holiday instead of at the World Cup.

Toney’s precision from the spot has justified former manager Thomas Frank’s claim that he’s the best in the world in this area. His calm, unflinching approach — maintaining eye contact with the goalkeeper before striking without looking at the ball — is unmatched for consistency.

Toney came off the bench to score in the shootout win over Switzerland at Euro 2024, when England converted all five penalties flawlessly. Though he hasn’t yet featured in this World Cup, Tuchel would almost certainly turn to him if a shootout looms.

Bukayo Saka
16 taken, 14 scored (88%)

Saka was among the trio who missed in the Euro 2020 final, alongside Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho, and suffered disgraceful racist abuse as a result. Admirably, he bounced back and was warmly applauded at away grounds the following Premier League season.

He recovered strongly, scoring against Switzerland in the Euro 2024 quarter-final shootout. This season, Saka scored both of his penalties for Arsenal and has missed just once in the last three years.

Anthony Gordon
17 taken, 16 scored (94%)

If Rashford is off the pitch, Gordon will likely take a penalty. The Newcastle attacker has a near-perfect record, scoring 12 and missing just one since joining the Magpies. He also netted a penalty in a pre-World Cup warm-up win over Costa Rica when Kane was substituted.

The only question surrounding Gordon might be his presence on the field at the crucial moment. If a knockout match goes the distance, Tuchel might use one of his six substitutions to bring him off for another option such as Rashford.

Marcus Rashford
20 taken, 18 scored (90%)

Rashford was another of the Euro 2020 final trio who missed. Southgate later admitted he regretted bringing Rashford and Sancho on too late, leaving them with no time to settle before facing immense pressure in the shootout.

Rashford’s record remains strong, having converted his last 14 penalties since 2019. However, he has only taken one this season — scoring for England against Serbia in qualifying.

Jude Bellingham
5 taken, 4 scored (80%)

Bellingham doesn’t have a long history with penalties — none for Real Madrid over the past 18 months, as Kylian Mbappe usually takes them — but his mentality and leadership make him a likely candidate in key moments.

He scored England’s second penalty in their perfect shootout against Switzerland at Euro 2024. Declan Rice praised England’s current group of penalty takers, saying: “I look at this group now, I don’t think there’s a better crop of penalty-takers that England have probably ever had.”

Declan Rice
3 taken, 1 scored (33%)

Rice has little experience from the spot and hasn’t been particularly convincing, missing two of three for West Ham. However, he scored confidently during Arsenal’s Champions League final shootout loss to Paris Saint-Germain and is known for his strong dead-ball skills at corners and free-kicks. His leadership presence could see him step up if needed.

Eberechi Eze is another possible substitute option in a 120-minute match. Although not highly experienced from the spot — he has missed one of four for Crystal Palace and one in Arsenal’s Champions League final shootout — his composure could see him included.

On the other hand, Ollie Watkins might not be the best choice. Despite his crucial extra-time goal against the Netherlands in the Euro 2024 semi-final, Watkins’ penalty record stands at 13 taken, six scored, and seven missed, including two recent failures for Aston Villa.

Other potential options include Elliot Anderson and Reece James, who have both successfully converted their only career penalties and have experience under pressure in shootouts.

And if it comes down to sudden death, England can take comfort knowing they have Jordan Pickford — dependable both with his hands and, if needed, with his feet.