Carli Lloyd Discusses the Real Challenge of Taking Penalties: ‘It’s Not the Keeper’
“I don’t like the term luck. That’s why I said you create your own luck. You have the opportunities that come your way. You capitalize, and you use them to your advantage phil168 com. pogibet gaming” These wise words from U.S. women’s national team icon Carli Lloyd on “Alexi Lalas’ State of the Union Podcast” delve into one of soccer’s toughest challenges: taking penalties.
With only 12 yards separating glory from despair, the task can feel monumental. It demands a mix of skill, a touch of luck, and a great deal of mental resilience. Penalties were a hot topic during the Women’s Euro, where England relied on them to overcome Sweden in the quarterfinals and Spain in the final. The overall penalty conversion rate in the tournament was notably low at just 55% (28 successful out of 51 taken), marking the weakest performance on record at both the Women’s Euro and FIFA Women’s World Cup since 2011. This fact highlights the importance of players like England’s Chloe Kelly, who confidently scored the decisive penalty against Spain. Lloyd remarked, “She said she knew she was going to make it. And for me, that’s telling. When you step up and you’re confident in making a penalty.”
Lloyd also shared her journey to enhance her penalty-taking skills, a journey ignited by the U.S. national team’s loss to Japan in the 2011 World Cup final. While they successfully navigated past Brazil in the quarterfinals, disastrous PKs ultimately led to their defeat in that fateful match. ph casino sign up bonus “I practiced penalties here and there. As a team, we would prepare. It was definitely something we took pride in. We all made ours at that point,” Lloyd recounted. “In the final, Shannon Boxx was up first and she missed. Suddenly, doubts started creeping in: ‘Oh boy, she missed.’ I stepped up and I missed. I blasted mine over the bar. Tobin Heath followed, and she missed too, but Abby [Wambach] eventually scored before Japan won ti 2023 — schedule.”
“At that moment, I told myself: I need to prepare more for penalties because I wasn’t ready. I don’t usually take them, so I consciously decided to practice penalties every day after training sessions.” At the 2015 Women’s World Cup, Lloyd applied this routine, especially noted during the round of 16 win over Colombia, where the U.S. initially missed a penalty. “We got another chance a few minutes later, and [Wambach] handed me the ball zeinab children. I thought, ‘Okay, I’ll take it.’ I stepped up, scored, and later took another crucial penalty in the semifinal against Germany. I stayed focused, and it all came down to my preparation.”
The crucial lesson learned when facing a goalkeeper is often about mental strategy. “It’s a mental game, and I think that’s the biggest battle,” Lloyd explained. “It’s not about the keeper; it’s all in your head, how you process thoughts. Positive self-talk, maintaining your routine, and thorough preparation are key.”
What are your thoughts on the pressure of taking penalties in high-stakes matches?
