What is England’s track record in penalty shoot-outs? How many have they emerged victorious in? And what is Gareth Southgate’s performance as the manager of the Three Lions?

England’s victory over Switzerland in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 has left manager Gareth Southgate “super pleased” and thrilled with the team’s performance. The win has sparked discussions about whether England has finally overcome their penalty shoot-out curse.

Since their first penalty shoot-out victory at Euro 1996, when David Seaman denied Miguel Angel Nadal to defeat Spain 4-2 in the quarter-finals, England has won four shoot-outs. However, their luck seemed to run out in the next five shoot-outs, including the heartbreaking loss to Germany in the Euro 1996 semi-finals, where Southgate famously missed his penalty.

In total, England has been involved in 11 penalty shoot-outs at international tournaments, including four at the World Cup, six at the European Championship, and one in the Nations League. But under Southgate’s management, the team has seen a significant improvement in their shoot-out performance, winning three out of four since 2016.

Southgate’s first shoot-out victory came in the 2018 World Cup against Colombia, where Eric Dier scored the winning penalty. Interestingly, half of England’s shoot-outs under Southgate have been against Switzerland, with the Swiss being defeated both times. Jordan Pickford, England’s goalkeeper, has played a crucial role in their shoot-out success, saving five out of 20 penalties.

In contrast, the England women’s team has had an equal number of shoot-out victories and defeats, with two wins and two losses. Their first shoot-out victory came in 1984 at the women’s European Championship, but they suffered a similar fate in their second shoot-out in the 2011 Women’s World Cup quarter-final against France. However, like their male counterparts, the Lionesses have turned things around, winning their most recent shoot-outs against Brazil and Nigeria.

Overall, England’s recent shoot-out successes have given fans hope that the team has finally cracked their penalty curse. With Southgate’s expertise and the impressive performances of players like Pickford and Chloe Kelly, England’s future in shoot-outs looks promising.