Combat kicks

By R.J. and J.M.F.

THE penalty shoot-out transforms football from a team sport to one-on-one combat, a showdown between kicker and goalkeeper. Our interactive chart visualises all 223 penalties taken during shoot-outs at World Cup games, from when they were introduced in 1978 to the current matches. Clicking on a shot calls up the player and game (and occasionally a video clip of the shot). In all, about 70% of the kicks were scored while 10% missed the goal area completely, according to data from Opta Sports. Of the teams that advanced to the knock-out stage in this year’s tournament, Germany has the best record, scoring in 17 of 18 attempts.