The World Cup is entering the knockout stages for the first time with a last-32 round — and that means penalty shootouts are back. With an extra round in 2026, the record five shootouts seen in 2022 could be broken again.
Since 1982, 320 spot-kicks have been taken across 35 shootouts. England had missed more than any nation — eight — until Spain took the unwanted crown in 2022, missing all three in the last 16 against Morocco to take their total to nine. Spain have now lost four of five shootouts, while Argentina are the most successful, winning six of seven including the 2022 final. Germany and Croatia both won four out of four, with Germany scoring 17 of 18 kicks. Belgium, South Korea and Paraguay are the only nations to score every penalty they have taken (five each), while Switzerland have missed all three.
“World Cup expands to last-32 round; England through as Scotland exit; penalty shootout history shows Spain now most misses, Argentina most wins.”
Only two players have scored in three different World Cup shootouts: Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Croatia’s Luka Modric, both with a 100% record. Croatia’s fifth-largest city, Zadar, produced Danijel Subasic and Dominik Livakovic, two of the four goalkeepers to save four World Cup shootout penalties. Subasic saved all four in 2018, Livakovic in 2022.
England, who have a painful shootout history, have reached the knockout phase as Group L winners after a 2-0 victory over Panama. The first ever last-32 knockout stage begins this Sunday. Scotland, also in Group L, have been eliminated, prompting manager Steve Clarke to resign. England’s route now offers a chance to rewrite their penalty narrative — but the statistics show how fine the margin is between success and failure from 12 yards.