England and Sweden players praise each other despite criticism over penalty shootout

 

England and Sweden’s Women’s Euro 2025 quarter-final ended in a dramatic penalty shootout that sparked both criticism and admiration. England emerged victorious 3–2 after the tense shootout, despite both sides struggling with their finishing. The match saw only 36% of penalties converted a new record low for the UEFA Women’s Euro tournament, according to ESPN. This led to social media backlash, with fans mocking the quality of the penalties and using it to criticise the women’s game.

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Still, players on both sides focused on the courage required to take a penalty under pressure. England forward Alessia Russo praised everyone who stepped up to shoot, saying, “It takes a lot.” Sweden’s goalkeeper Jennifer Falk, who made four saves, defended her teammate Smilla Holmberg after she missed the final kick, saying they reminded her of how brave and talented she was.

The match was described by BBC as “the greatest and worst shootout of all time,” reflecting the tension and emotional weight felt by players and fans. Both teams missed more than they scored England missed four of seven, Sweden missed five yet instead of blame, players chose to support one another.

This spirit of mutual respect stood in contrast to the harsh criticism from some fans. It also brought attention to the pressure that comes with elite-level competition and the small margins that define success or failure.

Despite criticism over missed penalties, many football experts and former players praised the standout performances of the goalkeepers. Sweden’s Jennifer Falk and England’s Hannah Hampton were key figures in the shootout drama. Falk saved four penalties, while Hampton stopped two. Former Sweden goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl applauded both keepers for "owning the moment" and influencing the penalty takers' confidence. She noted that England’s Magda Eriksson’s penalty, which hit the woodwork, was an example of how a keeper’s presence can affect shot placement.

Lindahl explained that Falk’s growing presence with each save raised the pressure on England’s shooters. Similarly, Hampton’s composure led to several missed attempts from Sweden. The fact that Magda Eriksson missed by aiming too close to the post showed the fine margins involved in facing an in-form keeper. This level of goalkeeper dominance helped explain the unusually low conversion rate.

One of the match highlights came from England’s Lucy Bronze, who scored the winning penalty her first ever for England despite playing with a tight hamstring. Her shot, clocked at 102.51 km/h, was the third-fastest goal of the tournament so far.

Though online reaction was mixed, studies consistently show that men and women convert penalties at similar rates around 75 to 80%. The poor performance in this shootout was not reflective of the overall quality of the women’s game but more likely the result of high tension and exceptional goalkeeping.

Rather than focusing solely on the misses, players and experts encouraged fans to appreciate the bravery and composure it takes to step up in high-stakes moments where one kick can determine an entire tournament’s direction.

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