06/30/2026
Why do soccer players and fans love penalty shootouts?
After watching 22 players trying to put the ball in the net for 120 minutes, including overtime, in a TIE, not much compares to the drama of a shootout. It's finally a one-on-one, individual sport, the kicker against the keeper, where some goals are guaranteed in a short amount of time. The kicker faces immense pressure, carrying a team or nation on their back with probably the loss aversion of hating missing more than loving a goal. Deservedly, fans are white-knuckle, at the edge of their seats in a rollercoaster of elation and despair in this intense competition to crown a champion.