Madueke confident England is ready for World Cup penalty pressure

As England prepares for the unforgiving territory of knockout football in the World Cup, forward Noni Madueke is embracing the pressure, particularly concerning penalty shootouts. The team faces DR Congo in a Round of 32 match, where a single penalty can decide the outcome of a tournament.

“

Just like all phases of play, we're taking (penalty preparation) extremely seriously. As you go into knockout football, it's something that becomes more prominent in the games. So, like every part of our game, we want to be at the highest level when it comes to that.

"Just like all phases of play, we're taking (penalty preparation) extremely seriously," Madueke said at England's base camp. "As you go into knockout football, it's something that becomes more prominent in the games. So, like every part of our game, we want to be at the highest level when it comes to that."

England has a strong record in shootouts under manager Gareth Southgate, winning three out of four faced. This contrasts sharply with their past, where they lost five consecutive major tournament shootouts, a streak that began after Southgate's own missed penalty in the Euro 96 semi-final. Madueke, however, showed no hesitation when asked about his willingness to step up. "I'm always open to take a penalty," he stated. "It comes down to the coach's decision and what he thinks is best for the team. But from my side, I'm always ready."

“

I'm always open to take a penalty. It comes down to the coach's decision and what he thinks is best for the team. But from my side, I'm always ready.

Madueke, who made his World Cup debut in England's opening win, believes penalty-taking is as much a mental game as a technical one. He advocates for "healthy delusion" – an unwavering self-belief crucial for performing on the biggest stage. "You have to feel like that," he explained. "You're a top player, you're here for a reason, you're playing for your country on the biggest stage. You have to have that excessive confidence in your ability, because it's down to you to deliver."

“

You have to feel like that. You're a top player, you're here for a reason, you're playing for your country on the biggest stage. You have to have that excessive confidence in your ability, because it's down to you to deliver.

England anticipates a defensive challenge from DR Congo, potentially similar to Ghana's approach. Madueke acknowledged the difficulty of playing against teams that pack their defense, stating, "I feel like not just us, I feel like every team has difficulties with the opposition setting up 11 players in 30 metres of space."

“

I feel like not just us, I feel like every team has difficulties with the opposition setting up 11 players in 30 metres of space.