Losing a penalty shootout is the most heartbreaking way to lose a football game but unfortunately, no one’s been able to find a better way of deciding a football match that remains a draw even after extra time. It’s one of the necessities of knockout football, which creates an additional nerve-wracking spectacle for the fans but can be ruthlessly tragic on the players.
Switzerland are the first side to lose via shootout in the ongoing UEFA Euro 2016. The ‘lottery’ as a lot of people appear to call the penalty shootout and although it is about luck to a great extent, it’s also about technique in the face of tremendous pressure. It remains, of course, a devastating way to exit the competition and must give players nightmares for the rest of their careers making them wonder how different their journey in the tournament could have been if they had put the ball into the net from 12 yards.
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In this piece we rewind through the years, and look at some of the best sides to lose in the European Championships by a penalty shootout:
Netherlands (Euro 2000)
Netherlands have suffered the agony of a penalty shootout loss several times in the latter stages of tournaments. The semi-finals of Euro 2000 were no different.
Up against a talented and resilient Italian side, just after having thrashed Yugoslavia 6-1 in the quarter-finals, the Dutch were in a rampant mood. A goalless 120 minutes ensued against the Italians though, and a place in the final would be decided by a shootout.
The Netherlands had a pretty disastrous shootout after what had been such a promising tournament. Frank De Boer, Jaap Stam, and Paul Bosvelt all missed as the Italians reached the final at their expense. Patrick Kluivert still managed to end up as the tournament’s joint top scorer with 5 goals.
France (Euro 1996)
If the French team playing in Euro ‘96 knew what the extent of their future success would be (winning both the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000), you’d imagine it would significantly quell their blow of exiting the European championships in the semi-finals in the sudden death stage of the penalty shootouts. But they didn’t and one can only imagine how shattered they must have been after the shootout which saw 10 perfect penalties and then Reynald Pedros missing to give the Czech Republic victory.
Pedros, who was considered one of the most talented French midfielders around (along with a certain Zinedine Zidane), was targeted by the fans and media after France’s ouster and his career never really recovered.
England (Euro 1996)
Another side that would be eliminated in the semi-finals of the 1996 European Championships by penalties. France would go on to keep the core of their team intact and be rewarded with huge success but England haven’t managed to reach another semi-final of the Euros or the World Cup since.
England were the hosts of Euro ‘96, finished top of a complicated group with the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Scotland and were desperate to win the trophy on home soil. Alan Shearer was on top form, eventually finishing as top scorer and they had the likes of Tony Adams, David Platt and Paul Gascoigne to count on as well. The English were in high spirits leading up to the semi-final clash against Germany which went to penalties.
Gareth Southgate couldn’t convert in sudden death against the Germans, and England would be denied a place in the final in Wembley. Germany would go on to win the tournament.
Netherlands (Euro 1992)
The Netherlands find themselves on this list again, unfortunately.
Imagine Frank De Boer and Ronald Koeman in defense, Frank Rijkaard, and Ruud Gullit, the Milan legends, in midfield and Marco Van Basten, one of the best center forwards to ever grace the game up front. That was the core of the Netherlands team that started the European Championships as one of the favourites. A convincing 3-1 win against the World Champions Germany in the group stages did their status no harm and they started the semi-finals against Denmark as strong favourites.
Marco Van Basten would miss his penalty, though, as the Danes converted all five and their fairytale European Championship winning run would not be denied.
West Germany (Euro 1976)
The European Championships back in 1976 had a very different format to the ones we’re used to now. At the time, only four countries could play the final tournament, which meant that there were only the semi-finals, the final and the third-place match. There was qualification, of course, with eight qualifying groups of four teams each.
Netherlands, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia and West Germany would make the final tournament with the latter two playing the final in Belgrade. A penalty shootout was required to decide the final for the first time after the match finished 2-2. Uli Hoeness missed his penalty and Antonin Panenka would step up and score a penalty with a softly chipped shot in the middle of the goal that would never be forgotten.
