This year’s World Cup has provided goals, big upsets, some thrilling football – and the inevitable agony and ecstasy that is the penalty shootout.
Teams prepare for this trial by spot kick in a number of ways. They study video footage of past penalties taken by their opponents. Players practice their penalties and develop their own distinctive style. Coaches work on their list of players to take them – who can they rely on, who should take the first kick and so on.
Goalkeepers are taken through their paces by goalkeeping coaches, giving tips on what to look for as a player steps up. Do you decide on a side to go beforehand, or try to judge in the moment? Do you move from side to side and hold your arms out, making the goal look smaller? Or do you stare down your opponent and stand your ground?
Then of course alongside physical fitness and technique, there are the coaches who train players to remain calm in the ultimate high pressure trial, giving them advice on their breathing, their mindset and helping them deliver when it really counts.
And we had two classic penalty shootouts this week in the Round of 16 in Qatar. The first saw Japan and Croatia go head to head. The 2018 finalists were clearly second best during the match, but held on to take the game to penalties. Japan missed their first two spot kicks and the momentum swung powerfully to the Croatians, who held their nerve to progress into the quarter finals.
Then came Morocco’s big moment. An enthralling game against a highly fancied Spanish side ended 0-0, and it was down to the dreaded shoot out. Would big game experience see Spain through? Not this time – the Africans played an ice cool shootout with goalkeeper Bono saving two penalties, and the final winning spot kick from Morocco being dinked down the middle. Courage and coolness of the highest order.
All these top players learn to trust their ability and remind themselves of the discipline of their training when they are put to the test in this way. These moments are what every footballer longs to experience, when they can claim the glory and acclaim of winning a big tournament.
But there are bigger prizes to be won in life, as top players like England’s Bukayo Saka and France’s Olivier Giroud have spoken of: the joy of knowing Jesus as Lord and Saviour, and knowing their futures are secure because of God’s promises.
The apostle Paul wrote to the Church in Corinth:
“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” (1 Corinthians 9: 25)