Photo by Wikimedia Commons, CC by 2.0
All bets are off when a match heads into penalty shootouts. The difference between the teams becomes razor thin as it all comes down to a game of nerves. Stronger teams usually try to avoid this scenario, while underdogs see it as a real way to level the playing field.
A Midlands non-league competition produced the longest penalty shootout on record in 2021, when Old Wilfrunians and Lane Head needed to take 44 kicks to settle the tie.
For top-flight football, we can look back at the marathon between Liverpool and Middlesbrough in the 2014 EFL Cup. The Reds saw off The Boro 14-13 on penalties in that match.
For international football, the longest shootout happened in an under-21s clash between the Netherlands and England. The Young Lions fell short in an epic 13-12 affair.
Longest Penalty Shootouts in World Cup Finals History
But what about the biggest stage of it all – the World Cup? Surprisingly, there have been only two matches that went beyond the traditional 5-kick shootouts in the competition’s history.
With the 2026 tournament on the horizon, we’ve taken a look at the longest penalty shootouts in World Cup finals history. Co-incidentally, one of them took place on American soil just over a decade ago.
West Germany 5-4 France, 14 kicks
The first ever penalty shootout to take place at a World Cup came back in 1982 when Spain hosted the competition.
West Germany and France met in the semi-final, but the European heavyweights couldn’t be separated after extra time with the score level at 3-3.
The ever-reliable Michel Platini hit the target once again after scoring a penalty in regular time. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who came off the bench that night, scored for Germany. Toni Schumacher then gave Germany the golden opportunity to win the tie.
The German custodian dived to his right to keep out Maxime Bossis’ attempt. Horst Hrubesch kept his cool and slotted home to hand Die Mannschaft the win.
Sweden 5-4 Romania, 12 kicks
Sweden met Romania in the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals at Stanford Stadium. They were chasing the game in extra time with a man down. Kennet Andersson, however, restored parity in the match in the 115th minute.
The Swedes survived the Romanian onslaught in the remaining minutes to force a penalty shootout.
The teams were inseparable after the first 10 kicks. Hakan Mild had missed for Sweden, while Romania’s Dan Petrescu failed to beat Thomas Ravelli.
Henrik Larsson scored for Sweden in the first sudden death kick. Miodrag Belodedici then walked to the spot to take the kick for Romania. The defender was visibly nervous and Ravelli took advantage of it. His weak right-sided shot was easily saved by the Swedish shot-stopper.
It ensured Sweden’s first appearance in the World Cup semi-finals since their historic 1958 campaign.
All Over Quickly – Fastest Penalty Shootouts
West Germany also jointly hold the record for the shortest penalty shootout victory at a World Cup, alongside Ukraine.
Just four years on from their ground-breaking win over France, West Germany beat hosts Mexico at the 1986 tournament 4-1 on penalties following a goalless draw after extra time.
West Germany scored their first four efforts and Mexico missed two of their opening three.
Ukraine are the only other nation to win a penalty shootout at a World Cup with just seven taken in total.
It came on the back of another goalless draw in the last 16 of the 2006 competition in Germany.
Switzerland failed to convert each of their opening three attempts and Ukraine secured their passage through courtesy of a 3-0 win, as they scored three in a row after Andriy Shevchenko missed their first.
