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Explained in plain English

Why do they always lose on penalties?

England's football teams have a bit of a reputation for losing penalty shootouts in major tournaments. It's often put down to pressure, a lack of practice, or even just plain bad luck. While this story's match wasn't decided by penalties, the 1966 win is a rare highlight in a history often marked by close calls and heartbreak, including some famous shootout losses.

Stories that explain this

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

Questions this opens up

Who takes penalties? Is it really bad luck? What is a shootout?

Related explainers

Are penalties fair? Who was Didier Deschamps? England's 1966 World Cup win What is 'football coming home'? Why haven't they won since? What is a third-place play-off? Why are World Cups every 4 years? Who wrote the song?

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