Declan Rice: England Boasts Some of the Best Penalty Takers in Its History

Declan Rice believes the current England national squad boasts the best penalty takers in its history. The Three Lions are aiming for their second World Cup triumph, and their first in 60 years. They secured top spot in Group L of the 2026 World Cup after victories over Croatia (4-2) and Panama, alongside a 0-0 draw against Ghana. In the Round of 16, they are set to face DR Congo in Atlanta tonight at 7:00 PM Bulgarian time.

Manager Thomas Tuchel believes England will need to navigate a penalty shootout at least once in the knockout stages if they are to lift the trophy. Historically, penalty shootouts have been an Achilles' heel for the British in World Cups, having been eliminated three times out of four attempts, with their sole victory coming against Colombia in the 2018 World Cup.

“Looking at the squad, I think this is the best group of penalty takers in the history of the England national team. Harry (Kane), Ivan (Toney), Marcus (Rashford), Anthony Gordon, (Bukayo) Saka, Jude (Bellingham), I can also take a good penalty. We have really strong takers. Given our history, we will certainly have to go through penalties if we want to reach the final or win the title. But I think this time we will be fully prepared,” commented the Arsenal midfielder.

“Personally, I’ve never been a great penalty taker, but I think my confidence has grown over time. Penalties are largely a psychological game, but I feel very calm before taking one, which is crucial. Naturally, you also need to be prepared for which way the goalkeeper is more likely to dive,” he added.

England suffered a painful defeat in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley against Italy, precisely after a penalty shootout. Marcus Rashford hit the post, while Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka had their shots saved by goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Thomas Tuchel anticipates a tough match against DR Congo, emphasizing that most of the Round of 16 encounters so far have shown that favorites can always be surprised, citing Germany's penalty shootout exit against Paraguay and the difficult, late-goal victories for Brazil against Japan and Norway against Ivory Coast.

“I think seeing that allows us to be a bit calmer. It’s normal for differences to be small and matches to be fiercely contested in World Cup knockout stages. This definitely helps to temper over-expectations. All teams enter the pitch with great motivation and are well-prepared. It’s not easy to break down an opponent, especially when you’re the favorite, because everyone defends very well, and such teams have nothing to lose,” Tuchel said.

He expects the match against DR Congo to resemble the group stage encounters with Ghana and Panama, where the English faced certain difficulties against their opponents' deep and organized defensive play. “We go into the match as favorites. The spirit and desire to perform are here. I believe we have the necessary qualities to convert every chance into a goal, to attack massively, and to capitalize on key moments. We are also practicing penalties, although it’s difficult to replicate the pressure of taking them in a real match,” he said. England will be without injured defenders Reece James and Jarell Quansah.