Kylian Mbappe's penalty miss in France's World Cup quarter-final against Morocco raises questions about the effectiveness of the 'stuttering' penalty kick. Data from this World Cup shows a lower conversion rate for stuttering penalties compared to traditional ones, suggesting goalkeepers are adapting.
Kylian Mbappe's penalty miss in France's World Cup quarter-final against Morocco has sparked debate about the effectiveness of stuttering penalty kicks. Data from the tournament shows a lower conversion rate for stuttering penalties compared to standard ones, leading experts to question if the technique is becoming obsolete.
A long-held belief that the team taking the first penalty kick in a World Cup shootout has an advantage is being re-evaluated by new research. While earlier studies suggested a significant psychological edge, more recent analyses, including a study in Football Studies, indicate that the perceived advantage stems not from the kick order itself, but from the unequal distribution of high-pressure, elimination-or-victory situations created by the current rules.
Germany's World Cup hopes ended in a penalty shootout loss to Paraguay, with several players reportedly refusing to take kicks. US coach Pochettino uses an analytics firm for penalty strategy, while the USMNT prepares for their own shootout challenge.
