Verstappen: Norris Friendship A Priority After Crash
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)
Bb68a1ef47800579c25a7a6933b6dbbf H2ejy3inyjj51 ?width=960&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=a9726bf402ccb9283678453a668fda3ac45c9d30H2ejy3inyjj51 ?auto=webp&s=d2143347f65a0639537a9c6743551491dd27f8bf9f3 Maxresdefault Maxresdefault Five Nights At Freddys Lore Maxres2 ?sqp= OaymwEoCIAKENAF8quKqQMcGADwAQH4AbYIgAKAD4oCDAgAEAEYfyAqKBMwDw==&rs=AOn4CLDyL1viHWQe98GvxuZt8CQ4jnCz2gTimeline Qgxygnge Maxresdefault Eu4vt5b37l971 500ea3e1cd674382aded4f6072e3deef.webp99fc22c73bc4edb228b6cc06310aac01 Ae2df93d781c569330faa82fef53c285 Fnaf Burntrap Freddy Artwork 1 Jpg 820 Five Nights At Freddys Lore Story So Far Maxresdefault I5wk33u43of21 ?auto=webp&s=b92b7b5fe97ecf0e82454cc6b5d1898d4753dfbe29800018 Picture Fnaf Storyline Game Theory Ymnrsp8u3b7c1 Maxresdefault L Intro 1684355821 Ene7soh88dl51 ?auto=webp&s=f0bb2f2cd797f909b5f0433376bcf30322add2efMaxresdefault My Fnaf Timeline Up To Ucn The Preferred End Of The V0 Mk6enf9qq35b1 ?auto=webp&s=2a15c2607d82e87bf65493bdecc456ea461b7389Five Nights At Freddy's Poster Xg70fotpod841 Eu4vt5b37l971 ?width=640&height=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=9d400103d1737c88665d62db16459d1214bceac8Fnaf Timeline By Evanest D9eopgj B23huj2ynvn91 ?width=1280&format=png&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=dbc5ce0c959c96f303c5af35e0ad82522f1929d8Eu4vt5b37l971 ?width=960&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=e58fb93d7feaad2e4a357e96bccc2023be28175dVzk6jekehua41
Verstappen: Norris Friendship A Priority After Crash
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)
