England captain Harry Kane reveals how he copied two players to tweak his penalty technique after World Cup shocker... and stats show it is working
Share this @internewscast.com

Harry Kane has revealed how a painful World Cup miss forced him to change his penalty-taking technique… and the results have been extraordinarily positive.

The England captain missed a crucial late spot-kick during the 2022 World Cup quarter-final defeat by France, blazing high over the bar.

He had successfully converted a penalty earlier in that quarter-final, but his shocking miss haunted him. However, it also drove him to make a significant change.

He has converted all 21 of his spot-kicks for Bayern, including nine in the Bundesliga this season. Not since Bayer Leverkusen’s Hans-Jorg Butt also scored nine penalties in 1999-2000 had a player hit that total in a single Bundesliga campaign.

Speaking to TNT Sports Brasil, Kane said he began looking for ways to improve after the France match, especially with the growing trend of players taking multiple penalties in a single game.

Harry Kane (left) missed a crucial penalty for England against France at the World Cup in 2022

Harry Kane (left) missed a crucial penalty for England against France at the World Cup in 2022

The miss cost England dearly as Kane and Co exited the tournament at the quarter-final stage

The miss cost England dearly as Kane and Co exited the tournament at the quarter-final stage

But Kane has scored 30 out of 30 penalties for England and Bayern Munich since that blunder

But Kane has scored 30 out of 30 penalties for England and Bayern Munich since that blunder 

‘When I missed that penalty in the World Cup, I felt like there was something that I can change, especially if you take two penalties in a game,’ Kane explained.

‘It’s something I wanted to try to improve on. Thankfully, it’s been good since.’ 

Rather than simply striking the ball with power and precision, Kane now watches the goalkeeper closely before making his move.

He said he has been influenced by players who use a similar technique, naming two in particular.

‘There’s quite a few players over the years who have taken penalties like that,’ he added. ‘I think [some players] pop into my head, [Mario] Balotelli was like this, Neymar was like this.

‘There have been players that wait for the keeper before they hit it. That was never something I used to do, I used to go for more power and precision.’

The change has transformed Kane into one of the most effective penalty takers in the world.

He has scored six out of six for England since the France defeat, including a crucial equaliser against the Netherlands in the semi-finals of Euro 2024.

Kane says he tweaked his penalty technique after being inspired by Mario Balotelli (pictured)

Kane says he tweaked his penalty technique after being inspired by Mario Balotelli (pictured)

Ex-Barcelona and PSG star Neymar (pictured) also influenced Kane's new spot-kick routine

Ex-Barcelona and PSG star Neymar (pictured) also influenced Kane’s new spot-kick routine

Kane has now taken 100 penalties over the course of his entire career, scoring 89 and missing 11.

That career conversion rate of 89 per cent compares pretty favourably against some of the game’s biggest names, including Brazil legend Neymar (83%).

Cristiano Ronaldo only scores 84.5 per cent of his penalties, while Lionel Messi (78%) misses more than one in five on average.

But former Man City and Liverpool forward Balotelli has a marginally superior record to Kane’s, having converted 90 per cent of his spot-kicks.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Manchester City’s Reign Faces Its Toughest Challenge Yet – and It’s Unstoppable: IAN HERBERT

I’ve rarely had good things to say about Qatar – not too…

Manchester City’s Club World Cup Woes: Sauna Sessions, Crosswords, and Rayan Cherki’s French Rap Lead to Al Hilal Disaster – What’s Next?

The beach yoga on Florida’s east coast wouldn’t have felt quite so…

Ellie Carpenter, Matildas Star, Faces WSL Competition From Her New Wife Weeks After Beautiful French Wedding

Matildas star Ellie Carpenter has signed for Chelsea on a four-year deal.…

Club World Cup: Battling Extreme Heat with Sniffer Dogs in Crocs for Paw Protection

Last week, Chelsea and Flamengo clashed at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia…

Brighton Acquires Viral Belgian Left-Back After Champions League Success

Brighton have completed the signing of Maxim De Cuyper from Club Brugge.…

Kyle Walker bids an emotional farewell to Man City, expressing his gratitude despite feeling sidelined by the team. He departs to join Burnley in a surprising £5m move.

Kyle Walker has paid tribute to Manchester City after completing a £5m…

Behind the Scenes at Chelsea: The Historic Joao Pedro Deal, Levi Colwill’s Welcome Message, and the Enigma of Raheem Sterling

Chelsea’s acquisition of Joao Pedro will result in the Brazilian becoming Watford’s…

‘Alisha Lehmann, Dubbed the ‘World’s Sexiest Footballer,’ Unveils Stylish New Look as Euro 2025 Begins’

Alisha Lehmann has sported a new bespectacaled look as she prepares for the…