Rules · 5 min read
Penalty shootouts: the rules, the order and the psychology
A shootout is not a lottery. It is a five-round contest with a fixed protocol and a very well-documented bias.
The protocol
Each team takes five kicks, alternating. If the score is still level after five each, it goes to sudden death, one kick each until one team scores and the other misses. Every player except the taker and the two goalkeepers must be in the centre circle.
The goalkeeper must have at least part of one foot on the goal line when the kick is taken. Rebounds are not allowed: if the ball hits the post and comes back, the kick is over.
Who takes them
Only players on the pitch at the final whistle may take part, and the lists must be submitted to the referee before the shootout starts. A team that has used all its substitutions cannot replace an injured taker.
The order matters more than most coaches admit. Research across European competitions shows the first kick is converted about 75% of the time and the fifth about 65%, partly because the fifth taker is often a defender rather than a specialist.
The captain's choice
The winner of the coin toss chooses whether to shoot first. Most captains choose first, but the statistics suggest shooting second is slightly better because the second taker knows exactly what is required.
The advantage is small and disappears at elite level, where conversion rates are close to 80% regardless of order. What does not disappear is the pressure effect on the fifth kick.
Quick answers
Can a player take two kicks in a row?
No. The order must alternate until sudden death, when the same sequence continues.
Are yellow cards carried into the shootout?
No. Cards from normal time are not carried over, but a player sent off cannot take part.
Is a save off the line legal?
The goalkeeper must keep part of one foot on or above the line until the ball is kicked; stepping forward early is a retake if the kick is missed.