You think fate-deciding shootouts come down to dumb luck? Think again. In Qatar, there'll be mental games aplenty. And the data says that teams would be foolish to come unprepared.
The penalty kick is soccer in its purest form: a ball, a goal, a kicker and a goalkeeper. You’d think that any player talented enough to represent their national team would be able to score from 12 yards. And yet, competing in a World Cup penalty shootout is as emotionally fraught a task an athlete can be asked to perform.
The shootout’s unique place in sporting drama dates back to its first instance in the tournament, the 1982 semifinal between France and West Germany (it is used to settle matches from the knockout round of 16 on).