Declan Rice has declared that England possess the best set of penalty takers at the 2026 World Cup, expressing confidence that the Three Lions can excel in shoot-outs after seeing Netherlands and Germany eliminated in the Round of 32 on penalties.
Rice Confident in England's Penalty Takers
The Arsenal midfielder, who scored in the Champions League final shoot-out despite his team losing to Paris Saint-Germain, would happily volunteer for penalty duty. He believes Ivan Toney, Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, and Anthony Gordon give England a significant edge in any knockout match that goes to spot-kicks.
Rice said: “I look at this group now, I don't think there's a better crop of penalty takers that England have probably ever had. To be honest with you, I think I look at Harry, I look at Ivan, I look at Marcus, look at Anthony Gordon, Saka, I can take one, Jude. We have real strong takers.”
Preparation and Mindset
Rice highlighted the importance of preparation and mental strength, noting that England's players study goalkeepers and have unwavering belief in their own techniques. He praised Kane's meticulous approach: “With Harry, it is incredible repetition and his process before the game’s even played, the day before he knows if he gets a penalty the next day, where he's going, there's no doubt in his mind.”
He added: “I feel like that's what it's like with a lot of the lads, they would look at the keepers and study, but they have so much belief in their own process and technique that they're going to score. Especially with these balls as well, from 12 yards if you hit it hard and well, I feel like keepers, it's tough to save. If you put them in the corners, it's really tough to save, so it's about having a process and being strong-minded.”
Rice's Own Penalty Evolution
Rice admitted he has grown in confidence from the spot, even after Arsenal's Champions League final heartbreak. “I've never been the strongest penalty-taker, but I feel like over time, my penalty in the Champions League final, I’ve never been so confident for a penalty. I don't know what it was, I just have my process, I knew where I was going to go. I studied the keeper on where he thought I would have been, because my last couple of pens have been the other side. It was all about that mind games going on. But I felt really calm. I've been nervous with penalties before. We played Palace earlier in the season, I was so nervous to take the pen. I scored. But I didn't feel as nervous when I did in that final.”
England's Path Forward
With the World Cup knockout stages underway, Rice's confidence underscores England's readiness for potential penalty shoot-outs. The team's depth in reliable takers could prove crucial as they aim to go further than previous tournaments.
