Routine Is Key For Success In Penalty Taking, Says Gundogan
By Fernando Kallas
STUTTGART, Germany, July 4 (Reuters) - Mental preparation and plenty of practice are the most important factors in taking a penalty, Germany midfielder Ilkay Gundogan said as his team gear up for Friday's Euro 2024 quarter-final clash against Spain.
Both teams are heavy favourites and have provided some of the best football in the tournament so far and their clash could come down to a penalty shootout.
Gundogan, 33, said on Thursday that the pressure of taking a penalty is not something that can be replicated in training, but that it's still important to be mentally prepared.
"The key word for me is routine. When you step on to take a penalty, the pressure that exists in a game it's just different than it was in training and obviously to replicate is very, very difficult. I don't believe that you can replicate it in training," Gundogan told a press conference.
"You can train your routine. You can train how you want to approach a penalty. Your breathing, how you get calm... The most crucial thing is to get calm, how to get your heartbeat down.
"Just try to be cool and enjoy the moment of taking a penalty. Which is the most difficult thing because, otherwise anyone would score a penalty."
Gundogan is one of Germany's most experienced players and has taken almost 20 penalties in a successful career between clubs like Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City.
However, he believed anyone who stepped up to take a spot kick should be lauded for their bravery and that even some of the game's greatest players do not always score.
"Even the best takers in the world miss," Gundogan said.
"I automatically think about someone like Harry Kane who has a finishing that is unbelievable but I also remember him missing quite a few penalties.
"So it’s just the circumstances at the end of the day. I missed a lot of penalties in my career so far as well. At the end of the day you just try your best. Sometimes it gets rewarded and you can do it in a better way and sometimes not.
"I think to have the guts to step on, to take a penalty in crucial moments, to show respect for it, even when you miss because it is a situation that is extraordinary and it is very difficult to deal with." (Reporting by Fernando Kallas Editing by Christian Radnedge)
298ca86036edc247401c8500caaac089 Maxresdefault 609d5816c386159860d06c79 Thumbnail Challenges Interior Designers Face WIN 2014 15 8b2e76f800f2c0688b612c131ae27c3c The World Of Interiors April 2024 230x300 Arch2O 12 Interior Design Trends Were Presuming To Run The Show In 2024 2048x1152 Arch2O 12 Interior Design Trends Were Presuming To Run The Show In 2024 4 788x526 The World Of Interiors Magazine Janauary 2024.webpTHE WORLD OF INTERIORS MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2024 COUPS DE THEATRE Brand.webpPh922mw2xgci33dl ?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&w=1200WIN 2014 04 WIN 2014 13 The World Of Interiors Magazine February 2024.webpIds Toronto 2023 Events 800x600 Spacejoy Sh6Aj176NAQ Unsplash 2 ?itok=MwN VadmLow Design Museum FF Mat It Will Go Out As Quickly As It Came In Interior 5 5146 1703172981 0 Dblbig Standard 13 Winner Of Restaurant Interiors Category IDS2024 WIN 2014 08 The World Of Interiors January 2024 Interiors0903 D 4 Interior Design Trends You Will See Everywhere In 2023 ?mbid=social RetweetBest Events For Interior Designers In Europe WIN 2014 03 Federal House Edition Office Benhosking 1024x683 84590300fef67bca8ddef3c8fd61a30e 5b53e34e871301b21305717d61bfba1c 0001 Ulfioq ?lm=1684861298000000f8ce6f52873e7f49d67cfadd6089c 056a3b9b86f99dd06e8c60cb7cafdb61 361a8552102d4f79559cb5e85c0daf52
Routine Is Key For Success In Penalty Taking, Says Gundogan
By Fernando Kallas
STUTTGART, Germany, July 4 (Reuters) - Mental preparation and plenty of practice are the most important factors in taking a penalty, Germany midfielder Ilkay Gundogan said as his team gear up for Friday's Euro 2024 quarter-final clash against Spain.
Both teams are heavy favourites and have provided some of the best football in the tournament so far and their clash could come down to a penalty shootout.
Gundogan, 33, said on Thursday that the pressure of taking a penalty is not something that can be replicated in training, but that it's still important to be mentally prepared.
"The key word for me is routine. When you step on to take a penalty, the pressure that exists in a game it's just different than it was in training and obviously to replicate is very, very difficult. I don't believe that you can replicate it in training," Gundogan told a press conference.
"You can train your routine. You can train how you want to approach a penalty. Your breathing, how you get calm... The most crucial thing is to get calm, how to get your heartbeat down.
"Just try to be cool and enjoy the moment of taking a penalty. Which is the most difficult thing because, otherwise anyone would score a penalty."
Gundogan is one of Germany's most experienced players and has taken almost 20 penalties in a successful career between clubs like Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City.
However, he believed anyone who stepped up to take a spot kick should be lauded for their bravery and that even some of the game's greatest players do not always score.
"Even the best takers in the world miss," Gundogan said.
"I automatically think about someone like Harry Kane who has a finishing that is unbelievable but I also remember him missing quite a few penalties.
"So it’s just the circumstances at the end of the day. I missed a lot of penalties in my career so far as well. At the end of the day you just try your best. Sometimes it gets rewarded and you can do it in a better way and sometimes not.
"I think to have the guts to step on, to take a penalty in crucial moments, to show respect for it, even when you miss because it is a situation that is extraordinary and it is very difficult to deal with." (Reporting by Fernando Kallas Editing by Christian Radnedge)
