In Monterrey, the Netherlands crumbled under the weight of their own penalty curse. Morocco came from behind to beat the Dutch 3-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, sending them out of the World Cup in the last-32 round. The Dutch missed three spot kicks, adding another chapter to their painful history with shootouts.
Germany followed them out of the tournament in equally devastating fashion. Against Paraguay, Kai Havertz, Nick Woltemade and Jonathan Tah all missed from the spot, handing a shock victory to the South Americans. It was the first time Germany had exited a World Cup via penalties since the shootout was introduced in 1982. German media later reported that midfielders Leon Goretzka and defenders Waldemar Anton, Nathaniel Brown and Malick Thiaw had all declined to take a penalty, leaving Tah – who had never taken one in his professional career – to miss the decisive kick. The failure prompted pundits to question why head coach Julian Nagelsmann had not prepared a predetermined order.
“Netherlands and Germany crash out on penalties as Pochettino reveals USMNT's secret preparation for shootouts.”
Across the Atlantic, the United States are taking no chances. US head coach Mauricio Pochettino revealed on Tuesday that his staff have long partnered with an outside firm to analyse penalty kicks and set pieces. “I don’t want to talk too much,” Pochettino said, “but I think we are working [with outside help] because as a coaching staff we believe we can provide some tools to the players to be better and to improve, [to equip] the players to try and find the best way to face this type of situation, while knowing that it is impossible to replicate the emotional stress and the pressure and expectation that they are going to feel.” He confirmed it will be the coaching staff’s decision on the order of penalty takers: “It is going to be [the coaching staff’s] decision, the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. We try to arrive in this moment and not ask the player if he…”
As the tournament moves into the last-16, the lessons of Monday’s drama are clear: preparation – or the lack of it – can define a nation’s World Cup dream.