What Is a Penalty Shootout?

A penalty shootout is a method used to decide the winner of a football match when the score is still level after normal time and extra time. It is used exclusively in knockout competitions — league matches that end in a draw simply share the points.

Think of it as a last resort. Both teams have tried everything over 90 minutes (sometimes 120), and nobody has won. So the game comes down to a series of one-on-one duels: each team’s players take turns striking the ball from the penalty spot against the opposing goalkeeper.

When Does a Penalty Shootout Happen?

A penalty shootout only takes place when all of these conditions are met:

  1. The match is a knockout game — there must be a winner (cup ties, tournament rounds, finals).
  2. The score is level after 90 minutes of normal time.
  3. Extra time has been played (usually two 15-minute halves) and the score is still level.

Some competitions skip extra time entirely and go straight to penalties after 90 minutes. This is common in early-round cup matches or certain tournament formats to manage player fatigue.

How Does a Penalty Shootout Work?

The Basics

  • Each team selects five players to take penalties.
  • Teams alternate taking penalties — Team A shoots first, then Team B, and so on.
  • Each penalty is a single kick from the penalty spot (12 yards / 11 metres from the goal line).
  • Only the kicker and the goalkeeper are involved. All other players must stay outside the penalty area.
  • The goalkeeper must stay on the goal line until the ball is kicked.

Winning and Losing

  • After five penalties each, the team with more goals wins.
  • If one team is mathematically uncatchable before all five are taken, the shootout ends early (for example, if Team A leads 3-0 after three kicks each, Team B cannot catch up).
  • If the scores are level after five penalties each, the shootout goes to sudden death — each team takes one more penalty each, and the first team to score when the other misses wins.

Sudden Death

Sudden death is where the real drama lives. Both teams keep taking one penalty each in alternating order. If Team A scores and Team B misses, Team A wins. If both score (or both miss), the shootout continues to the next round.

There is no limit — shootouts have gone as deep as 20+ penalties in some extraordinary matches.

Key Rules to Know

  • No player can take a second penalty until every eligible teammate (usually all outfield players plus the goalkeeper) has taken one.
  • The goalkeeper can be substituted for a penalty specialist — this has become increasingly common in modern football, especially since FIFA changed the rules to allow it.
  • Encroachment — if a player from either team enters the penalty area too early, the penalty may be retaken.
  • Feinting — the kicker cannot feint (fake) at the moment of kicking. They can stutter their run-up, but the final motion must be a genuine attempt to kick the ball.

Famous Penalty Shootouts

2005 Champions League Final — Liverpool vs AC Milan

Down 3-0 at half-time, Liverpool staged one of the greatest comebacks in football history, levelling the match at 3-3. The shootout went to penalties, where goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek’s heroics sealed Liverpool’s fifth European Cup.

2006 World Cup Final — Italy vs France

Zinedane Zidane’s infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi overshadowed the match, but Italy held their nerve in the shootout, winning 5-3 to claim their fourth World Cup.

2012 Champions League Semi-Final — Chelsea vs Barcelona

Chelsea went through 3-2 on aggregate, but it was the penalty shootout against Bayern Munich in the final that truly stunned the world. Chelsea won 4-3 on penalties in Bayern’s own stadium.

2022 World Cup Final — Argentina vs France

One of the greatest matches ever played. After a 3-3 draw through extra time, Argentina won 4-2 on penalties, with goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez making a crucial save to give Lionel Messi his first World Cup.

Why Shootouts Are So Controversial

Penalty shootouts divide opinion. Critics argue they are a lottery — too random to decide important matches. Supporters say they provide the most thrilling, high-pressure spectacle in sport.

The debate has led to various alternative suggestions over the years, from the abolished “away goals rule” to proposals for reducing extra time or using other tiebreaking methods. But nothing has matched the drama and simplicity of the shootout, and it remains the standard in football worldwide.

Common Questions

Can a goalkeeper take a penalty? Yes. If the shootout goes to sudden death and every other player has taken one, the goalkeeper can step up. Some goalkeepers are excellent penalty takers.

What happens if a penalty hits the post and goes in? It counts as a goal. The ball can hit the post, the crossbar, or both, as long as it crosses the goal line.

What if the ball bursts during a penalty? The penalty is retaken with a new ball.

Do penalties count as goals in a player’s stats? No. Goals scored in a penalty shootout do not count toward a player’s official goal tally. Only penalties scored during normal time or extra time count.

How deep can a shootout go? There is no theoretical limit. The record for the longest shootout in professional football is 48 penalties (in a 2005 Namibian Cup match).