The culmination of Euro 2024 will see Spain and England battle it out in the final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on Sunday.
Twenty-four nations have been whittled down to just two, and while La Roja are bidding to win an unprecedented fourth European Championship title, the Three Lions are seeking to triumph for the first time in their history.
While points were up for grabs during the group stage, it has been merely survival of the fittest during the knockout rounds, with teams competing in one-off ties settled in either 90 minutes, extra time or via a penalty shootout.
Interestingly, the finals of Euro 2020, the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2022 World Cup were all decided by a penalty shootout, and spot-kick fever has once again hit this summer's European Championship in Germany.
Out of the 16 nations who advanced to the knockout rounds at Euro 2024, 11 of those have been involved in at least one penalty shootout on the continental stage, and here, Sports Mole takes a look at the best-performing Euro 2024 nations from 12 yards.
11. Slovenia
© Reuters
Penalty shootout wins: 0
Penalty shootout defeats: 1
Success rate: 0%
Ranked rock bottom of this list are Slovenia, who lost their one and only penalty shootout on the continental stage in the last 16 of Euro 2024 - the first time they have ever competed in the knockout rounds of a major tournament.
After valiantly holding Portugal to a 0-0 draw in 120 minutes, Slovenia had each of their three penalties saved by Diogo Costa en route to losing 3-0 in the shootout.
= 9. Netherlands
© Reuters
Penalty shootout wins: 1
Penalty shootout defeats: 3
Success rate: 25%
Netherlands have only come out on top in one of the four penalty shootouts they have been involved in at the European Championship - a 5-4 quarter-final triumph over Sweden at Euro 2004.
The Oranje had previously lost three shootouts over an eight-year period, firstly suffering a semi-final defeat to eventual Euro 1992 winners Denmark (5-4), before losing by the same scoreline to France in the quarter-finals of Euro 1996.
Netherlands also came up short from 12 yards against Italy (3-1) in the semi-finals of Euro 2000 - one of three shootouts the Dutch entered after playing out a goalless draw in regular time.
= 9. Switzerland
© Reuters
Penalty shootout wins: 1
Penalty shootout defeats: 3
Success rate: 25%
After suffering group-stage eliminations in each of their first three European Championship appearances, Switzerland have since been involved in four penalty shootouts in the knockout rounds across the last three Finals in 2016, 2020 and 2024, but they have only come out on top once in that time.
The Swiss were beaten 5-4 on penalties against Poland in a last-16 tie eight years ago, before they memorably came out on top against France by the same scoreline in the last 16 at Euro 2020 following an enthralling 3-3 draw in 120 minutes.
Switzerland then forced Spain into a spot-kick battle in the quarter-finals, but La Roja were victories on this occasions, beating the Swiss 3-1 in the shootout, before Manuel Akanji missed from 12 yards as Murat Yakin's side suffered a 5-3 shootout defeat to England in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024.
8. England
© Reuters
Penalty shootout wins: 2
Penalty shootout defeats: 4
Success rate: 33.3%
Few Three Lions supporters will be surprised to learn that England, who have had so many penalty heartaches down the years, are ranked low of this list with a success rate of just 33.3% having won only two of their six European Championship shootouts.
England won their first Euros shootout in 1996, beating Spain 4-2 in the quarter-finals following a 0-0 draw in normal time. However, current manager Gareth Southgate was the unfortunate one to miss in a 6-5 defeat to Germany in the semi-finals.
The Three Lions then lost their next four shootouts, firstly losing to Germany (6-5) in the semi-finals of Euro 1996, before suffering defeat to Portugal (5-4) and Italy (4-2) in the quarter-finals of Euro 2004 and Euro 2012 respectively. A painful 3-2 defeat to the Azzurri in the final of the Covid-delayed Euro 2020 tournament then followed at Wembley Stadium.
However, England have since celebrated shootout success at Euro 2024. Bukayo Saka exorcised his Euro 2020 demons by converting one of five perfect spot kicks as the Three Lions beat Switzerland 5-3 in the quarter-finals.
= 6. France
© Reuters
Penalty shootout wins: 2
Penalty shootout defeats: 2
Success rate: 50%
France are one of two nations who have a penalty-shootout success rate of 50% at the European Championship, with their aforementioned defeat against the Swiss one of two losses they have suffered on the continental stage.
The other was back in 1996 when they followed up a 0-0 draw in normal time with a 6-5 shootout defeat to Czech Republic in the semi-finals, with Les Bleus midfielder Reynald Pedros the only player failing to convert his effort from 12 yards.
France's first shootout triumph at the Euros came in the previous round (quarter-finals) in 1996, when they beat the Netherlands 5-4, with Zinedine Zidane and Laurent Blanc among the scorers that day.
Les Bleus were successful in their most recent penalty shootout in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024, converting all five spot kicks to beat Portugal 5-3 in Hamburg.
= 6. Denmark
© Reuters
Penalty shootout wins: 1
Penalty shootout defeats: 1
Success rate: 50%
Denmark have only competed in two European Championship penalty shootouts and lost their first back in 1984 at the semi-final stage against Spain, with Preben Elkjaer the unfortunate one to miss in a 5-4 defeat.
However, eight years later, the heroics of goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel helped Denmark prevail in a historic shootout against the Netherlands, with the Manchester United shot-stopper saving a crucial spot kick from Dutch icon Marco van Basten en route to a 5-4 shootout win.
The Danes, who had famously failed to qualify for Euro 1992 before replacing the disqualified Yugoslavia, went on to etch their name into continental folklore and win their first-ever European Championship title, beating Germany 2-0 in the final.
5. Italy
© Reuters
Penalty shootout wins: 4
Penalty shootout defeats: 3
Success rate: 57.14%
Italy are the nation who have competed in the most penalty shootouts at the European Championship, boasting a success rate of 57.14% having won four times and lost three.
The Azzurri alternated between defeat and victory in each of their first six shootouts over a 40-year period, firstly losing 9-8 on penalties to Czechoslovakia in the 1980 third-place playoff - Fulvio Collovati was the only player out of 18 who failed to convert from 12 yards.
Italy also lost to Spain (4-2) and Germany (6-5) in the quarter-finals of Euro 2008 and 2016 respectively, but they were successful against the Netherlands (3-1) in the semi-finals of Euro 2000 and also beat England (4-2) in the quarter-finals of Euro 2012.
Managed by Roberto Mancini, Italy won two penalty shootouts en route to Euro 2020 glory, firstly beating Spain 4-2 in the semi-finals before coming out on top against England by a 3-2 scoreline in the final at Wembley Stadium.
A total of five penalties failed to make the net ripple that evening, but the Azzurri prevailed thanks to two saves from Player of the Tournament Gianluigi Donnarumma and three converted spot kicks from Domenico Berardi, Leonardo Bonucci and Federico Bernardeschi.
4. Portugal
© Reuters
Penalty shootout wins: 3
Penalty shootout defeats: 2
Success rate: 60%
Portugal are one of four nations who boast a penalty-shootout success rate of at least 60%, winning three times and losing twice within a 20-year period.
Following a thrilling 2-2 draw with England in a quarter-final clash at Euro 2004, Portugal prevailed 6-5 on penalties, before the host nation went on to lose in heart-breaking fashion to shock champions Greece in the final.
A Selecao then suffered a 4-2 penalty-shootout defeat to Spain in the semi-finals of Euro 2012, but they managed to edge past Poland by a 5-3 scoreline in the quarter-finals of Euro 2016, before winning their first-ever European Championship title with an 1-0 extra-time victory over France in the final.
Portugal were involved in two penalty shootouts at Euro 2024, beating Slovenia 3-0 in the last 16 courtesy of three penalty saves by Diogo Costa, before losing 5-3 to France in the quarter-finals.
Global icon Cristiano Ronaldo successfully converted four penalties across those five shootouts, but Portugal were beaten by Spain before the five-time Ballon d'Or winner could step up for his spot kick in 2012.
= 2. Germany
© Reuters
Penalty shootout wins: 2
Penalty shootout defeats: 1
Success rate: 66.67%
Germany have a 66.67% success rate across three penalty shootouts in the European Championship, losing for the first and only time to date in the 1976 final to Czechoslovakia (5-3) following a 2-2 draw in normal time.
Die Mannschaft would have to wait two decades before they could celebrate their first shootout triumph on the continent, beating England on their own turf in the semi-finals of Euro 1996 before winning the tournament.
Another 20 years passed before they came out on top against Italy on penalties in the quarter-finals of Euro 2016. Germany missed three spot kicks, but they prevailed in a nail-biting nine-round shootout, winning 6-5.
= 2. Spain
![Spain's Alvaro Morata celebrates after Riccardo Calafiori's own goal on June 20, 2024 [IMAGO]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/25/alvaro-morata_1.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Spain's Alvaro Morata celebrates after Riccardo Calafiori's own goal on June 20, 2024 [IMAGO]")
© Imago
Penalty shootout wins: 4
Penalty shootout defeats: 2
Success rate: 66.67%
Spain have taken part in a total of six penalty shootouts at the European Championship, winning four times including their first by a 5-4 scoreline against Denmark in the semi-finals of Euro 1984.
A somewhat surprising shootout defeat to England (4-2) followed at Euro 1996, before La Roja won their next three 12-yard duels - a 4-2 win over Italy in the quarter-finals of Euro 2008 preceded a Euro 2012 semi-final success over Portugal and a 3-1 victory against Switzerland in the last eight of Euro 2020.
After beating the Swiss, Spain striker Alvaro Morata scored a crucial equaliser to rescue a 1-1 semi-final draw with Italy and force to contest to penalties, but the ex-Juventus striker missed his spot kick in the shootout along with Dani Olmo as the Azzurri progressed with a 4-2 win.
1. Turkey
© Reuters
Penalty shootout wins: 1
Penalty shootout defeats: 0
Success rate: 100%
Ranked first on this list with a 100% success rate in European Championship penalty shootouts are Turkey, who came out on top in their one and only shootout against Croatia in a memorable quarter-finals showdown at Euro 2008.
The Crescent-Stars conceded a 119th-minute goal in extra time, only to go immediately up the other end and score a dramatic equaliser through Semih Senturk to force penalties.
While a 23-year-old Luka Modric and a 20-year-old Ivan Rakitic both failed to convert from 12 yards for Croatia along with Mladen Petric, Turkey were perfect from their three spot kicks and sealed a 3-1 victory to advance to the semi-finals - their best finish at the Finals to date.
