Mbappé Idolised Ronaldo; Now He's Replacing Him And Could End His Euros Career
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)
PUNSHER 1024x1024 Fd0c6049 2b90 52b5 9ea2 490997d70583 203196365678725p?$690$&wid=690&hei=690G2 Bean Bag Games Edited 1024x681 5a673dca8b5e58aceb1817a2abd7881d Bean Bag Games Bags Game Beanbags For Juggling And Throwing Bean Bags For Kids SS Featured Detail 0070a86b37b31d51fbcc6c21f5dbce7a Il 570xN.4270802764 D2v3 52457315 5b6b2ea7c9e77c0082b2fbb7 G 20302 RainbowDoubleUp Twosidedbeanbag 01 Clean F410480 710qtcOu8eL. SL1500 71Dwt83aqGL. SL1500 71kuE07uy9L Red Corn Hole Boards Coney Toss 64 600 Bean Bags 3 777deb347695fba78851a373c15dae4c 71w0OI8 UML. SX569 715yWGHeO L. AC SL1500 Il Fullxfull.1053248156 Bh4y Bean Bag Toss Corn Hole Game Free Vector Screen Shot 2022 06 01 At 3.53.22 PM 50255.1654116856 ?c=22 Classic Bean Bag Game 1 5d80927b60db31079c1961754bbb3b26 HP Bean Bag Game E1466528574931 Backyard Game Ideas DIY Bean Bag Toss Thrift Diving 3361 800x1200 2fe5feb21f73887405dc2a3cfacbb684 Img TT138 1 XX 1 Large Bean Bag Toss Arrow Project Hero MW7089 001 Bean Bag Game Set 0 6579b82500776b7045a8162db9a4d1cf 41HVVvdh3DL. SX300