The number that matters
Jordet's analysis of 366 penalties delivers the clearest finding: takers who took their time placing the ball scored in 80 per cent of cases. Takers who rushed the process scored in only 58 per cent.
Twenty-two percentage points. Between two behaviours that have technically nothing to do with each other.
The difference does not lie in the strike itself. It lies in the twenty seconds before it.
Avoidance behaviour: the real problem
Jordet calls this pattern avoidance behaviour. It occurs when pressure peaks — on kicks where a miss immediately decides the match.
How to spot it:
- Looking away from the goalkeeper. The taker stares at the ball, the turf, anywhere else.
- Rushing the placement. Putting the ball down, immediately backing away, no pause.
- Starting the run-up too early. Often even before the referee has blown the whistle.
These are not flaws in character. It is an attempt to get an uncomfortable situation over with as quickly as possible. It is precisely this attempt that lowers the conversion rate.
Interesting for coaches: Jordet found the poorest figures among the highest-status players. Those with the most to lose are the most likely to rush.
Routine is the only real anchor
If rushing is the problem, a set routine is the solution. Not as a superstition, but as something occupying mental bandwidth that would otherwise be filled with anxiety.
A practical routine consists of four steps and takes about ten seconds:
1. Place the ball and pause for a moment. Do not back away immediately.
2. Look deliberately at the goalkeeper once. Consciously, not just a fleeting glance.
3. Take a breath. A single, complete breath.
4. Only then walk back and wait for the whistle.
The corner is decided beforehand, not during the run-up. If you are still deciding during your approach, you hand the initiative to the goalkeeper.
Every player must establish this routine for themselves and run through it identically every time — in training sessions, in matches, and in shootouts. A routine that is only pulled out in an emergency is not a routine.
The shootout order
The common rule of "best players first" falls short. A smarter approach:
- Taker 1 should be someone who scores reliably and radiates composure. The first penalty sets the tone.
- Taker 5 needs the strongest nerves, not necessarily the best technique. Their kick carries the highest pressure.
- The middle is the place for younger and less confident players.
- No one takes a kick who does not want to. A volunteer with average technique will score more reliably than a technically gifted player who had to be persuaded.
In youth football, there is an additional rule: decide the shootout order before the match, not in a hectic huddle on the centre circle.
The goalkeeper
Psychologically, the situation favours the goalkeeper — they have nothing to lose. That is exactly what you should tell them.
In practice, what helps:
- Take time. The goalkeeper dictates the tempo, not the taker.
- Presence over showmanship. Stand tall, make yourself big, maintain eye contact.
- Decide late. Dive too early, and the taker will read you.
For more fundamentals, read our article on goalkeeper positioning.
How to bring it into training
The usual mistake: at the end of the session, everyone takes two shots on goal with no pressure and no consequences. That practises the technique, not the situation.
What works instead:
- After the hardest physical exertion, not before. Penalties come after 120 minutes, not when players are fresh.
- With an audience. Have the entire squad stand on the centre circle and watch. That provides enough pressure.
- With consequences. The losing side tidies up the equipment. Small, but real.
- The full walk. From the centre circle to the penalty spot, completing the routine — not shooting from a pile of balls on the spot.
- Observe the behaviour, not just the ball. Are they looking at the goalkeeper? Are they taking their time?
The same research underpins scanning training based on Jordet — both focus on what players do with their vision before an action.
For more on handling pressure in general, check out our article on mental toughness in football.
5 takeaways for coaches
- Train the seconds before the kick, not just the strike itself. That is where the twenty-two percentage points lie.
- Give every player a fixed routine. Exactly the same every time, even in regular training sessions.
- Pick the corner beforehand. Never change your mind during the run-up.
- Set the shootout order in advance, placing your steadiest nerves in fifth position.
- Only volunteers take penalties. If a player does not want to take one, they are far less likely to score.