England manager Thomas Tuchel has confirmed his side will continue using the penalty shootout strategy introduced during Gareth Southgate’s tenure as they prepare for their World Cup last-32 meeting with DR Congo.
With a place in the next round on the line, Tuchel believes England are well prepared if Wednesday’s contest in Atlanta is decided from the penalty spot. He said the Football Association’s long-established programme remains in place, with players following the same structured process developed over recent years.
England’s record in major tournament shootouts improved dramatically under Southgate. Before his appointment in 2016, the national team had won only one of seven shootouts at major competitions. During his reign, England came out on top in three of four, thanks to detailed preparation rather than relying on chance.
Southgate’s methods focused on making penalties a repeatable skill through regular practice and by recreating match-day pressure in training. Penalty takers were selected well before matches based on their performances in practice, while the coaching staff also introduced psychological measures to ease pressure during shootouts.
Among those initiatives, each designated taker was paired with a teammate who greeted them after returning from the penalty spot, helping reduce the emotional burden. Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford also benefited from extensive opponent analysis, carrying notes on likely penalty directions during shootouts.
Following England’s defeat in the Euro 2020 final, Southgate adjusted another part of the process. After introducing Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho moments before the shootout, he concluded that players selected to take penalties should spend more time on the pitch beforehand to settle into the game.
Tuchel’s commitment to thorough preparation stems partly from his own experience. While managing Borussia Dortmund in the 2016 DFB-Pokal final against Bayern Munich, he admitted he had not adequately planned for the possibility of a penalty shootout, leaving him to decide the kicking order only after extra time. Bayern eventually claimed the trophy on penalties, an experience that left a lasting impression on the German coach and permanently changed his approach.
Although England have established a clear penalty routine, Tuchel acknowledged that no training session can fully recreate the pressure players face during a real shootout. He noted that even some of the game’s greatest players have struggled to remember the walk to the penalty spot because of the intensity of the moment.
England have participated in 11 penalty shootouts across the World Cup, European Championship and Nations League. Before Southgate’s arrival, their only victory had come against Spain at Euro 1996.
Ahead of the knockout clash with DR Congo, Tuchel also tempered expectations over England’s style of play. He stressed that the priority at this stage of the tournament is securing qualification rather than producing entertaining football, believing moments of individual quality and resilience are often enough to decide knockout matches.
England reached the last 32 after finishing top of Group L with victories over Croatia and Panama, along with a goalless draw against Ghana. Tuchel expects his side’s performances to improve as the level of opposition rises deeper into the competition.
The England manager also admitted he has experienced his own moments of uncertainty during the World Cup build-up. He revealed that the team’s unconvincing 1-0 warm-up victory over New Zealand led him to question his own decisions, but he believes such doubts are a natural part of elite football. In his view, overcoming setbacks and learning from difficult experiences is essential for any team hoping to lift a major international trophy.