England players have been instructed to keep silent about their penalty strategy before the Euro 2024 semi-final against the Netherlands on Wednesday.
The Three Lions advanced past Switzerland in the quarter-finals via a penalty shootout, moving them within one match of consecutive finals in the European Championship.
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Gareth Southgate’s squad performed admirably in their shootout against Switzerland, with goalkeeper Jordan Pickford saving Manuel Akanji’s shot and Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Ivan Toney, and Trent Alexander-Arnold all converting their penalties.
England’s penalty record has significantly improved under Southgate’s management. Before he took over in 2016, the team had lost six out of seven shootouts in major tournaments since 1990.
Under Southgate, England has won three out of four shootouts, with their sole defeat coming against Italy in the Euro 2020 final.
Despite this success, the specifics of England’s penalty tactics remain confidential at Euro 2024. Players such as Pickford, Marc Guehi, and Ezri Konsa have been barred from discussing penalties during the tournament.
Ahead of England’s last-16 match against Slovakia, Southgate also declined to provide details on their penalty plans.
‘Everybody else who used to work for the FA seems to have done that over a period of years,’ he said.
‘We’ll keep our counsel and prepare as thoroughly as we always do.’
Southgate was also furious that England’s tactics were leaked by the media before the quarter-final tie with Switzerland.
‘We do a lot of things. As I said, we’ve won three out of four and a lot of our processes have been shared,’ Southgate said.
‘Our tactical plan for the game was also shared three days before. We live in an amazing world where it’s so difficult for us because any element of surprise you might have with the opponent is gone three days before. It’s quite incredible really.’
Meanwhile, Bellingham revealed Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, the former Netherlands international and current England coach, has played a vital role in England’s preparations for penalties during Euro 2024.
‘I was really confident in my preparation, confident in the things I talked through with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, he’s stepped up for us massively,’ Bellingham said after England’s victory over Switzerland.
‘It’s the work that he does behind closed doors, with the lads being willing to take on that information, that put us in those situations in order to be able to win.
‘So this is a massive team effort. Another thing is Dean Henderson, Aaron Ramsdale, Tom Heaton, who have been with us this camp, they’ve been huge in helping us practice the penalties.
‘Again, they won’t get the credit they deserve but essentially, if they don’t put in the right effort, you don’t have the right practice to go out and execute. It’s a massive team win.’
