Introduction

It is the 1996 soccer European Championship semifinals and, with the score tied at 5-5, Gareth Southgate, England’s centre-half, steps up to take England’s sixth penalty kick in a sudden death shoot-out against Germany. With a place in the European Championship final at stake, Southgate has to score at all costs; missing the penalty gives Germany the chance of scoring with its next shot and securing a place in the final, knocking England out of the competition. The German goalkeeper Andreas Köpke stands between Southgate, the ball, and the goal. Awaiting the referee’s instruction, Southgate makes his decision regarding power and placement of the penalty; in doing so he uses his training, experience, observation of the goalkeeper’s behaviour on the previous five penalties, advice given to him by teammates and his manager, and attempts to read Köpke’s likely strategy. The 75,000-plus crowd waits in anticipation, with the German contingent attempting to distract Southgate from his task.