Success rate of penalties in the World Cup 1982-2022, by taker

Penalty shootouts are nerve-wracking experiences for players and fans alike, and the success rate of a penalty tends to decrease as the shootout goes on. As of December 2022, nearly three in four teams converted their first penalty in FIFA World Cup shootouts. However, by the sixth penalty, the success rate dropped to 50 percent.

When were penalty shootouts introduced?

Penalty shootouts were gradually adopted in soccer throughout the 1970s, replacing previous means of settling tied games such as replayed games and drawing lots. It was not until the UEFA European Championship in 1976 that a major international tournament was settled by penalties, while the first shootout in a World Cup tournament came in 1982. On that occasion, eventual runners-up West Germany beat France to make it through to the final.

Which team has won the most penalty shootouts?

Two teams have won World Cup shootouts on at least four occasions: Germany and Argentina. While Argentina have won five out of their six shootouts, Germany have a perfect record, winning four out of four. Meanwhile, Spain have lost four shootouts, while England and Italy have lost three. However, the one shootout that Italy did win came in the 2006 final, bringing their number of World Cup titles to four.