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Explained in plain English

Is it really bad luck?

It often feels like England have terrible luck in major tournaments, especially with penalty shootouts. While it's easy to blame fate, many experts point to psychological pressure, tactical preparation, and even the sheer randomness of a shootout as bigger factors. The 1966 win remains a distant memory, and the near misses since then only fuel the 'bad luck' narrative.

Stories that explain this

England beat France 6-4 in a 10-goal World Cup third-place thriller

Questions this opens up

Is it psychological? What about training? Are penalties fair?

Related explainers

Who was Didier Deschamps? England's 1966 World Cup win What is 'football coming home'? Why haven't they won since? Who takes penalties? Why do they always lose on penalties? What is a third-place play-off? Why are World Cups every 4 years?

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