5 Facts On Penalty Shootouts At Euro Championships

Ahead of the commencement of the Round of 16 at Euro 2024, let us look back at the history of penalty shootouts in the Euro championships. 

Euro 2024 is set to enter the knock-out stage after 16 teams qualify for the next round. This means penalty shootouts will take center stage at this stage of the tournament. 

Ahead of the commencement of the Round of 16 at Euro 2024, let us look back at the history of penalty shootouts in the Euro championships. 

Penalty Shootouts in History of Euro Championship

There have been 22 penalty shootouts in the history of the European Championship.  The first penalty shootout took place in the final match of Euro in 1976 following a 2-2 draw between Czechoslovakia and West Germany. Czechoslovakia beat West Germany 5-3 in the shootout in Belgrade.

That is one of only two penalty shootouts in the history of Euro to have decided the winners of the championship. The other was the final of the Euro 2020 in which Italy beat England 3-2 in the shootout.

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Best Record in Penalty Shootouts

Czech Republic, including erstwhile Czechoslovakia, have won all three European Championship penalty shootouts they have been part of namely, 1976 final, 1980 third-place play-off against Italy (9-8) and the 1996 semi-final against France (6-5).

Turkey is the only other team to have a 100% success rate, winning their only penalty shootout in the Euro 2008 quarter-final against Croatia.

Italy and Spain have both won four penalty shootouts in Euro history, the most by any nation. Italy have secured their four victories from seven shootouts, while Spain have won four from six attempts at the Euros.

5 Facts On Penalty Shootouts At Euro Championships

Worst Record in Penalty Shootouts

Croatia in the Euro 2008 quarter-final) and Sweden in the Euro 2004 quarter-final lost their only penalty shootouts at the Euro tournament.

On the other hand, England have lost more than any other nation at the Euros including the one in the semi-final against Germany in 1996, against Portugal in 2004 quarter-final against and Italy both in the 2012 quarter-final and Euro 2020 final at Wembley.

The Netherlands are the other team to have been defeated in three of their four attempts.

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Longest Penalty Shootout

Two of the 22 European Championship penalty shootouts have seen 18 penalties taken – the longest in the history of the finals.

The 1980 third-place match between Italy and Czechoslovakia and the quarter-final between the Italians and Germany both saw 18 taken.

5 Facts On Penalty Shootouts At Euro Championships
England’s Marcus Rashford reacts after missed a penalty shot during the penalty shootout during the Euro 2020 soccer final match between England and Italy at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, July 11, 2021. (Andy Rain/Pool Photo via AP)

Shortest Penalty Shootout

Just seven penalties were taken in the shootout in the Euro 2008 quarter-final tie between Croatia and Turkey in which Croatia failed to score three of their four kicks.

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