2025-06-22 10:18:37
Stuart Pearce felt a huge sense of “relief” when he scored a penalty in the Euro 96 quarter-final.
The former England captain helped his side into the semi-finals when the game went to a penalty shoot-out after finishing 0-0, but the defender admitted he was “concerned” he’d be overlooked to take a spot-kick because of his crucial miss at the 1990 World Cup semi-final.
He told World Soccer magazine: “When it went to penalties, I went up to Terry Venables and said, ‘I’ll take the third penalty.’
“I was a little bit concerned he’d overlook me because of my penalty history, having missed in the 1990 World Cup semi-final, so I thought it was important that I got to him and offered my services…
“Seeing it go in, the main feeling was relief. The nervousness walking from the halfway line to the penalty spot was incredible.
“I was nervous, but the crowd seemed more nervous than me because of the journey I’d been on.
“They were more relieved I scored than I was.”
Stuart always practiced his penalties in the same way.
He explained: “With penalties, I always decided where I was going to put it early on and stuck with it.
“I would practise what penalty I would take. I knew which direction I was going and I never deviated from that.”
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