Here we go again. England are into the knockout rounds of a World Cup, and now the threat of penalties loom over every nerve-jangling game.
England’s relationship with shootouts was, for a long time, a tortured one. They were knocked out of Italia ‘90 by West Germany via the heartbreak of penalties, and suffered defeats by Argentina (1998) and Portugal (2006) in the same way.
The losing streak was finally lifted in 2018 when Gareth Southgate’s meticulous preparation paid off in England’s first-ever World Cup shootout win, against Colombia in the round of 16.
Roughly a third of World Cup knockout matches go to extra time, and around a quarter go to penalties. Thomas Tuchel has said he believes if England are to go all the way and lift the World Cup in North America, they will most likely need to win two penalty shootouts en route.
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Tuchel vowed to pick up where Southgate’s regime left off. “I have – on the highest level, since years and years – a penalty programme that is so easy (for me to) just wait for people to tell me who are the best shooters. We trained it. We have a process in place. So we are prepared.
“This has become such an important part, a very special part of football now, that you can prepare and do the best to be prepared, which we did. We have assistant coaches, we have background staff who just set one of the best programmes in place that I have witnessed. So we know exactly what is going to happen. And the platform is there.”
So who are England’s best penalty takers, and who will step up when the moment comes?
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Who will take England’s penalties at the World Cup? (The Independent/Getty Images)
Harry Kane
122 taken, 108 scored (89%)
England’s captain will take the first penalty. He has already scored 19 penalties this season for Bayern Munich and England, including his spot-kick against Croatia during the group stage after it was retaken.
Kane mixes two techniques, sometimes stuttering in his run-up and waiting for the goalkeeper to move first before placing it the opposite side, and sometimes running up and hitting the ball with power. The variation is an important tool to keep goalkeepers guessing.
Kane cleared the bar with his penalty against France in the quarter-finals in Qatar four years ago as England were eliminated from the World Cup. But, remarkably, he then went nearly three years without missing another.
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And Kane has never missed in a shootout, in five attempts.
Kane scored at the second time of asking against Croatia (Getty)
Ivan Toney
62 taken, 58 scored (94%)
Both Toney and Tuchel have insisted the striker is not just in the England squad to take penalties, which is true, but it is fair to assume that if the Al-Ahli striker wasn’t such a master of the art from 12 yards, he would probably be on holiday right now.
Toney’s record is remarkable, justifying his former manager Thomas Frank’s claim that he is the best in the world. His ice-cool technique, staring down the goalkeeper before scoring without looking at the ball, is incredibly impressive and few players have replicated it with such success.
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Toney came off the bench to score a penalty in the shootout against Switzerland at Euro 2024, when England scored all five in their most impressive display from the spot. He has not played a minute of football yet at this World Cup, but if England are heading towards a shootout, Tuchel will call for Toney.
Ivan Toney’s ability as a penalty-taker was cited as a reason for his inclusion (Getty)
Bukayo Saka
16 taken, 14 scored (88%)
Saka was memorably applauded at away grounds at the start of the 2021/22 Premier League season, following the abuse he received in the wake of England’s shootout defeat.
He recovered well, scoring against Switzerland in the quarter-final shootout at Euro 2024. Saka only took two penalties for Arsenal this season but scored them both, and he has missed only once in the past three years.
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Bukayo Saka scored in a shootout against Switzerland during Euro 2024 (Getty)
Marcus Rashford
20 taken, 18 scored (90%)
Rashford was one of the England trio to miss in the Euro 2020 final, along with Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho, for which they received appalling racist abuse. Southgate later regretted bringing Rashford and Sancho on to the field so late in the game, with only seconds left at the end of extra time, giving them no time to get into the rhythm of the match and run off some adrenaline before the high-pressure shootout.
Rashford’s record is pretty impressive, albeit from a smaller sample size than some of his England teammates, and he has scored all of his last 14 penalties in a streak dating back to 2019. However, he has only taken one this season, for England against Serbia in qualifying.
Rashford scored against Serbia last September (Getty)
The question with Rashford might be simply whether he is on the pitch. If he starts a knockout game which goes all the way to penalties, there is a good chance Tuchel uses one of his six substitutions to replace Rashford with…
Anthony Gordon
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17 taken, 16 scored (94%)
If Rashford is off the field then Gordon will be on it, and he will be charged with taking a penalty should the moment come.
Gordon takes the responsibility for Newcastle and has a very good record, having scored 12 and missed only one since joining the club. He also scored a penalty in a World Cup warm-up win over Costa Rica when Kane was off the pitch.
Anthony Gordon converted his penalty against Costa Rica last month (Getty)
Jude Bellingham
5 taken, 4 scored (80%)
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Bellingham may not have much of a track record taking penalties – he hasn’t taken one for Real Madrid in 18 months, with Kylian Mbappe taking charge from the spot – but the 22-year-old has repeatedly shown he is the type of character to step up in England’s hour of need.
And Bellingham converted the second when England scored five perfect penalties against Switzerland two summers ago.
Declan Rice talked up England’s penalty prowess this week, and he name-checked Bellingham among the leading candidates to step forwards. “I look at this group now, I don’t think there’s a better crop of penalty-takers that England have probably ever had,” Rice said.
Jude Bellingham scored a penalty in the shootout against Switzerland in Euro 2024 (Martin Rickett/PA) (PA Wire)
Declan Rice
3 taken, 1 scored (33%)
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Rice has very little experience from the spot, and what experience he does have was not particularly convincing, missing two of his three for West Ham.
But he scored emphatically during Arsenal’s shootout defeat by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final, and is clearly an excellent dead-ball striker, both at corners and free-kicks. He is also a leader on the pitch for England.
Declan Rice has said he will step up and take a penalty (Getty)
Eberechi Eze
9 taken, 7 scored (78%)
Eze is a likely candidate to come on as an impact substitute in a 120-minute match, so he may well be given responsibility from the spot, although he doesn’t have huge experience in that department. He missed one of his four penalties for Crystal Palace, and his only penalty for Arsenal, during the Champions League final shootout, was missed.
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One player who probably shouldn’t step up is OllieWatkins. The striker has always been excellent for England his extra-time goal against Netherlands in the Euro 2024 semi-finals will live long in the memory of supporters. But Watkins’ penalty record reads 13 taken, six scored, seven missed, including misses in both of his most recent two for Aston Villa last year.
Other candidates include ElliotAnderson and ReeceJames – when he is fit to play – who both scored their one and only career penalty and have track records of converting in shootouts.
And if the shootout runs deep into sudden death, at least England know they can rely on JordanPickford, with his hands and his feet…
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England’s likely five penalty takers: Kane, Toney, Saka, Rashford/Gordon, Bellingham.
Ukraine’s forward #07 Mykhailo Mudryk controls the ball during the UEFA Nations League football match between Georgia and Ukraine in Batumi on November 16, 2024. (Photo by Giorgi ARJEVANIDZE / AFP)
Mykhailo Mudryk will be welcomed with open arms when he rejoins Chelsea this week in Hong Kong, manager Xabi Alonso said, but the Ukrainian will not be rushed back after winning his appeal against a doping ban.
The Ukraine international winger was suspended for four years after failing a 2024 drug test that revealed the presence of a low concentration of meldonium, a prohibited substance.
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He was cleared on Friday to resume his career after the Football Association and the World Anti-Doping Agency “resolved his appeal.”
“We are happy, especially for him, because we are not able to understand what he has been through in this time and how he feels at the moment,” Alonso said in Sydney.
“We want that he feels part of the team, because he has not had this for a long time, and that he has the support from everyone: from the club, from the teammates, from the staff.
“To be honest, we were not expecting to have this great news at this moment, so we are very happy learning that he will be here with us.”
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Mudryk will join Chelsea for the next leg of their pre-season tour in Hong Kong where they face Juventus on Wednesday, Alonso said, after a 2-1 defeat to London rivals Tottenham in Sydney on Saturday.
But the Spaniard cautioned that Mudryk’s reintegration would be a slow process.
The 25-year-old, who joined Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk for £62 million ($83 million) in 2023, has not played since November 2024.
“It will take time,” Alonso said. “But once there’s a change, things will start moving, and for him, it’s a massive change (from) training on his own every day.
“I think that had to be really, really hard because he wanted to play football, he wanted to be part of the team, and he was not allowed to do that for such a long time.
“So once this meeting has happened, now we can move on and after we will see if he makes progress quicker or slower. But we need to do the work.”
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Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi managed Mudryk at Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk and was also happy to see him back.
“He’s my son, he’s a cool guy, a top player, hopefully he can show what he suffered the last two seasons in this coming season, maybe not against Tottenham, but he’s a lovely guy,” said the Italian.
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Mudryk filed his appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport and changes to WADA procedures in the interim meant that had his failed test produced the same result now, charges would not have been brought.
Mali’s international Mamadou Sangaré is heading to the Premier League following a stellar season with french club Lens. He has officially joined Brentford in a landmark €48 million transfer, setting a new record sale for the French club.
Following her sprint victory on the first stage of the Tour de France, Dutch rider Lorena Wiebes took the yellow jersey as leader of the general classification. Defending champion and favourite Pauline Ferrand-Prévôt finished eighth. Today, the peloton will compete in a new stage between Aigle and Geneva, Switzerland.
In swimming, Léon Marchand has allayed concerns about his participation in the ongoing European Championships in Paris. Despite his adductor injury, the French swimmer believes he has a chance in the butterfly and freestyle events, but has ruled out the breaststroke.
The beast has been slayed. The next big thing is in the past. The future is now.
Oba Femi ruled the ring and defeated Brock Lesnar in an epic Hell in a Cell match at SummerSlam at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. It was a car crash from the start.
Brock Lesnar raises Oba Femi’s hand during SummerSlam at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn., on Aug. 1, 2026.(WWE via Getty Images)
The two major stars of WWE were locked inside the monstrous structure and nearly ripped the ring apart. Lesnar did as much as he could. He took Femi to Suplex City, but it didn’t have much effect on “The Ruler.” Lesnar crushed Femi with the steel steps and hit him with multiple F5s but still couldn’t keep him down.
For his last act, Lesnar ripped the canvas to expose the wood blocks underneath. He hit Femi with a tombstone piledriver in an apparent nod to The Undertaker. He came within a millisecond of beating Femi.
But Femi kicked out and delivered a Fall from Grace. He finally was able to pin Lesnar and conquer someone who was deemed to be unconquerable. Femi celebrated the victory in the ring as Lesnar and Paul Heyman watched.
Oba Femi faces Brock Lesnar during SummerSlam at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn., on Aug. 1, 2026.(WWE via Getty Images)
“This is the future, ladies and gentlemen,” Lesnar said, referencing Femi. “This is the past. This is the future.”
Lesnar seemingly retired after losing to Femi the first time at WrestleMania 42. He left his boots in the ring and waved goodbye to the crowd at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. While Lesnar looked teary-eyed, he raised Femi’s hand as the premium live event went off the air.
Brock Lesnar faces Oba Femi during SummerSlam at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn., on Aug. 1, 2026.(WWE via Getty Images)
Femi is clearly the next person in line to get a title shot and his eyes will certainly be on the outcome of the World Heavyweight Championship match between Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins on Night 2 of SummerSlam.
Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.
Former champion jockey Jim Crowley has retired 10 months after sustaining serious injuries in a fall, saying it was “the most difficult decision” of his life.
Crowley, 48, announced his retirement on Saturday at Goodwood, 20 years after he rode his first Group-race winner.
He was injured at York in September when his mount Almeraq was brought down after clipping heels with a rival and then rolled over Crowley.
The jockey was taken to Leeds General Infirmary and has since had multiple operations on his pelvis and legs.
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“It’s been a great career, it’s just unfortunate that after my accident at York my body couldn’t get back to the level I want to be to race ride again,” said Crowley.
“To come from jumping and do as well as I did on the Flat was amazing. I partnered some great horses and it gave me days I could only dream of…
“It’s nice to announce the retirement at Goodwood. It’s my home track and I’ve had so many good days here.”
Crowley, who secured 29 Group One wins, began his time in the saddle as a National Hunt jockey before switching to the Flat.
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He rode his first Group-race winner on Hawridge Prince in the 2006 Jockey Club Cup and became champion jockey in 2016.
He was subsequently appointed as the retained rider for Hamdan Al Maktoum’s Shadwell Stud.
Alex Eala of the Philippines shakes hands with Naomi Osaka of Japan after a women’s singles match on day six of the Mubadala DC Open 2026 at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on August 01, 2026 in Washington, DC. Emilee Chinn/Getty Images/AFP
MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala grew up watching four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka.
On Sunday, the Filipino knocked off the former World No. 1 to advance to her first career WTA 500 final at the Mubadala DC Open.
“She definitely has aura, and she definitely has power, I can tell you,” Eala said in an interview with the Tennis Channel.
The Filipino tennis ace even recalled the time watching the Grand Slam finals of Osaka, who won twice both in the Australian Open (2019 and 2021) and US Open (2018 and 2020).
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“I remember watching her finals in the Australian Open and also in the US Open. Really a great experience to share the court with her and I’m really happy that I was able to produce that level against her,” Eala said.
The 28-year-old Osaka won the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021 and ruled the US Open courts in 2018 and 2020.
Facing a proven winner in Osaka, Eala knew she needed to be at her best to prevail.
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“I’m super proud of my performance. I think I played really well and I had a great mentality and I stayed locked in till the end,” she said.
Her return game was also key in beating Osaka.
“It really depends on the moment because there are so many factors when it comes to returning. What’s the situation? What are you looking for in the ball? And at the end of the day, you don’t know what serve is going to come at you. So you kind of have to be ready for anything. But I think whatever I try to do best, what I can control. So whatever I can control, I try to do my 100 percent,” Eala said.
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The 21-year-old Eala has been on a tear since reaching the round of 16 at Wimbledon.
She opened her DC campaign by rallying past Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, before ousting defending champion Leylah Fernandez, and sweeping second seed Elina Svitolina and Osaka to make the final.
The Phoenix Mercury have added one of the biggest names in the WNBA.
The Mercury have acquired five time all-star Kelsey Plum from the Los Angeles Sparks for Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first-round pick and a 2028 second-rounder, ESPN’s Shams Charania and Kendra Andrews reported early Sunday morning.
Plum is closing in on a return after missing the past 11 games with a lower leg injury.
The Sparks went 2-9 without Plum.
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The Sparks acquired Plum from the Las Vegas Aces prior to the 2025 season. She won two WNBA titles with Las Vegas.
Plum is eligible to be an unrestricted free agent after this season.
The WNBA trade deadline is Sunday at 3 p.m. ET / noon PT.
Conor Benn has been accused of having done very little to deserve his WBC title shot against Ryan Garcia, who many feel is a level or two above the Brit.
Regardless, the two welterweights will collide for Garcia’s world title on September 12, headlining an event at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.
The champion claimed his strap by dethroning Mario Barrios, who many considered one of the sport’s weaker titleholders, with a unanimous decision victory in February.
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This was the first time Garcia felt what it was like to have his hand raised since April 2024, when he initially claimed a majority decision triumph over Devin Haney, only for the result to be ruled a no-contest after he tested positive for banned substance ostarine.
Benn, too, has previously failed two doping tests – both for clomifene in October 2022 – but has since found himself in two high-profile middleweight encounters with Chris Eubank Jr.
Their first fight, in April 2025, saw him suffer a unanimous decision defeat, before exacting his revenge by the same verdict in their November rematch.
Based on that performance, former undisputed super-lightweight champion Josh Taylor has told Fight Your Corner that he struggles to see Benn defeating British champion Conah Walker, let alone Garcia.
“Yeah [I stand by that he’s not British level.] I think there’s guys in the UK that would beat Conor Benn. I think Conah Walker would beat him.
“In that second Eubank fight, I thought [Benn] was very good. But then I watched him against Prograis and thought he was terrible.
“I just don’t think he’s on [Garcia’s] level. I don’t think he merits that fight.”
Not only is Benn yet to face a world-class fighter in his prime but, crucially, ‘The Destroyer’ has not fought at 147lbs since his second-round finish over Chris van Heerden in 2022.
The rules are simple. Each day there’s a new footballer and the challenge is to guess who they are in as few attempts as possible.
After each wrong guess you unlock a new clue. The fewer clues you need to get the right answer, the more points you score.
Three is a good score, four or five points is exceptional.
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So take part and return for more tomorrow.
Today’s player and clues set by BBC Sport’s Joe Rindl.
After more quizzes? Go to our dedicated Football Quizzes and Sports Quizzes pages and sign up for notifications to get the latest quizzes sent straight to your device.
The new 2026/27 football season is almost here, with the Scottish Premiership kicking off on 31 July and the Premier League starting on 21 August.
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The World Cup concluded barely three weeks ago, yet football supporters have little time to rest – the new club season is almost upon us and promises to be an exciting one.
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With the Scottish Premiership kicking off this week and the Premier League not far behind, now is the perfect moment to ensure you’re ready to watch all the action unfold.
Sky Sportsremains the premier destination for live football in the UK, broadcasting at least 215 Premier League fixtures throughout the season – and that’s merely the beginning. From the opening whistle in Scotland to the dramatic final day in May, there’s an abundance of football to anticipate.
The new Scottish Premiership season begins on Friday with an enticing opener as Derek McInnes starts his spell as Rangers manager, leading his team to face Dundee United. Just three weeks afterwards, the Premier League commences with an appetising curtain-raiser as Arsenal, aiming to retain their title, host Frank Lampard’s Coventry City.
To ensure you don’t miss any of the action, Sky TV’s Essential TV package with Sky Sports is available from £35 monthly with no upfront costs. The package provides access to Sky Stream, Netflix and Sky Sports, although it’s important to note there’s a minimum 24-month contract on this offer and prices may vary during the term.
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Countdown to Kickoff: The Ultimate 26/27 Sky Sports Bundle
Sky’s Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle includes at least 215 live Premier League clashes across the 2026/27 season with more than 1,400 live games across the EFL and beyond, plus F1, golf and darts.
Every subscription now comes with 135 channels alongside free subscriptions to HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu.
With the Essential package, supporters can enjoy a minimum of 215 live Premier League matches, over 1,000 EFL fixtures – including all the Carabao Cup action – plus a dedicated F1 channel and coverage of all the major golf tournaments.
Fans may also wish to add TNT Sportsto the package for an additional £25 per month – fixed for 24 months – with Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League action all available at the touch of a button, beginning with Aston Villa’s UEFA Super Cup clash with PSG on Wednesday (August 12).
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Further packages are also on offer, including theUltimate TV package from just £24 a month, which incorporates HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+, Hayu, and 135 live channels. Sky Sports can also be added for an extra £20 a month, though the same conditions still apply.
TNT Sportswill also broadcast selected Premier League games on TV and its new streaming platform HBO Max. TNT typically holds the broadcast rights to one fixture per gameweek, with Hull vs Man United the first to be aired next season.
Supporters will require a separateTNT Sports subscription to access its coverage, priced at £30.99 via HBO Max or Prime Video’s TNT Sports channel.
Alternatively, fans may prefer to soak up the atmosphere of the opening fixtures this season by purchasing tickets through Seat Unique, which offers a wide range of hospitality options throughout the campaign.
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Key TV Fixtures & Dates
Here are the list of the football matches to be shown live on TV from this weekend’s Scottish Premiership opener to to the opening weekend of the Premier League next month:
Friday 31st July: Start of the Scottish Premiership — Dundee United v Rangers ( Sky Sports )
Saturday 1st August: Carabao Cup Preliminary Round — Tranmere v Rochdale ( Sky Sports )
Thursday 6th August: Carabao Cup First Round — Bristol City v Walsall ( Sky Sports )
Wednesday 12th August: UEFA Super Cup — PSG v Aston Villa ( TNT Sports )
Friday 14th August: Start of the Championship and EFL — Wolves v Blackburn ( Sky Sports )
Sunday 16th August: Community Shield — Arsenal v Man City ( TNT Sports )
Friday 21st August: Start of the Premier League — Arsenal v Coventry ( Sky Sports )
Saturday 22nd August: Premier League — Hull City v Man United ( TNT Sports )
Auqib Nabi favourite to replace Bumrah in India’s Test squad.
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Jasprit Bumrah set to sit out Sri Lanka Tests as knee recovery drags on
India’s premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah will reportedly miss the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, scheduled to begin in Galle on August 15.
According to The Times of India, the pacer is still experiencing discomfort in his left knee. It is a concern that surfaced during the second ODI against England.
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The medical team at the BCCI Centre of Excellence has concluded that rushing him back onto the field wouldn’t be worth the risk, and has chosen instead to prioritise a complete recovery.
Earlier reports this week had already indicated that BCCI’s medical staff recommended Bumrah undergo an injection to address the knee trouble.
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The 32-year-old received that injection as planned last month, but his full recovery now appears to be taking longer than doctors initially anticipated. There had been some internal discussion around getting him fit in time for the second Test in Colombo, but the medical team at the Centre of Excellence has opted against taking any chances with his fitness.
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