Can YOU take a penalty like Ivan Toney? Mail Sport challenges fans in Germany to shoot without looking at the ball - and it's as tough as it looks!
Ivan Toney's remarkable penalty technique caught the attention of fans at Euro 2024 during England's shootout victory over Switzerland in their quarter-final.
The Brentford frontman - who has a spot-kick conversion rate of 93.75% across his senior career - famously does not look at the ball when taking a penalty.
His technique worked on Saturday as Toney was one of five England players to score in the shootout, while Swiss defender Manuel Akanji failed to beat Jordan Pickford.
Discussing his penalty routine following Saturday's game, Toney said: 'I never look at the ball. Considering it is my routine I just think it is what I do but some people may see it as crazy. But it is just my routine and I'll stick to it. It's been working and it can work whenever it is needed.'
So, just how hard is it to take a penalty without looking at the ball? Mail Sport reporter Aadam Patel tried to find out by challenging a group of fans in Germany this week.
The task set was to kick a ball in a straight line from the penalty spot to another ball that was placed in the center of a goal.
The first three fans all failed, while one of them appeared to make the task even harder than it already was by closing his eyes completely.
However, the next two fans both hit the target, including a Manchester United supporter who celebrated in style.
Although the two successful fan-park penalties were impressive, they were nowhere near as good as the five real ones taken by Gareth Southgate's men on Saturday night.
Toney's trademark finish came after Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, and Bukayo Saka had all emphatically found the net.
Trent Alexander-Arnold then made it five out of five to send the Three Lions through to the semi-finals, where they will face the Netherlands on Wednesday.
Asked if any of England's penalties against Switzerland were saveable, Toney replied: 'No, I don't think they were but that is the quality we have. We all back ourselves on penalties and if it goes to that we have enough penalty takers to take one. I had confidence in all the boys and we deserved it in the end.
'I always have my routine and just focus and do what I always do, which is take my time and roll it into the back of the net. What did I think as I was walking up? Make sure I score my penalty!'
The Brentford frontman - who has a spot-kick conversion rate of 93.75% across his senior career - famously does not look at the ball when taking a penalty.
His technique worked on Saturday as Toney was one of five England players to score in the shootout, while Swiss defender Manuel Akanji failed to beat Jordan Pickford.
Discussing his penalty routine following Saturday's game, Toney said: 'I never look at the ball. Considering it is my routine I just think it is what I do but some people may see it as crazy. But it is just my routine and I'll stick to it. It's been working and it can work whenever it is needed.'
So, just how hard is it to take a penalty without looking at the ball? Mail Sport reporter Aadam Patel tried to find out by challenging a group of fans in Germany this week.
The task set was to kick a ball in a straight line from the penalty spot to another ball that was placed in the center of a goal.
The first three fans all failed, while one of them appeared to make the task even harder than it already was by closing his eyes completely.
However, the next two fans both hit the target, including a Manchester United supporter who celebrated in style.
Although the two successful fan-park penalties were impressive, they were nowhere near as good as the five real ones taken by Gareth Southgate's men on Saturday night.
Toney's trademark finish came after Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, and Bukayo Saka had all emphatically found the net.
Trent Alexander-Arnold then made it five out of five to send the Three Lions through to the semi-finals, where they will face the Netherlands on Wednesday.
Asked if any of England's penalties against Switzerland were saveable, Toney replied: 'No, I don't think they were but that is the quality we have. We all back ourselves on penalties and if it goes to that we have enough penalty takers to take one. I had confidence in all the boys and we deserved it in the end.
'I always have my routine and just focus and do what I always do, which is take my time and roll it into the back of the net. What did I think as I was walking up? Make sure I score my penalty!'