Declan Rice says England have the best crop of penalty takers they have ever had as they head into the knockout stages of the World Cup.
Thomas Tuchel’s side step up their bid to end 60 years of hurt when they play the Democratic Republic of Congo in the last 32 in Atlanta on Wednesday.
Tuchel has said that England will probably need to win at least one penalty shootout to lift the World Cup, and Rice insists the squad are perfectly equipped.
He includes himself in that after his emphatic penalty in the Champions League final shootout defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
“I look at this group now, I don’t think there’s a better crop of penalty takers that England have probably ever had,” he said.
“I look at Harry (Kane), I look at Ivan (Toney), I look at Marcus (Rashford), look at Anthony Gordon, (Bukayo) Saka, I can take one, Jude (Bellingham).
“We have real strong takers, and I feel like as the tournament goes on, you obviously hear the stat about you have to win a penalty shootout to get to a final or to win the tournament, and you know that might come along the way. So we’re going to be fully prepared for that.
“I’ve never been the strongest penalty-taker, but I feel like over time, my penalty in the Champions League final, I’ve never been so confident for a penalty.
“I don’t know what it was, I just have my process, I knew where I was going to go.
“I studied the keeper on where he thought I would have been, because my last couple of pens have been the other side.
“It was all about that mind games going on. But I felt really calm.”
They have the standard-bearer in Harry Kane, who has an enviable record from the spot, but Rice says the whole entourage of takers have their own “process and technique”.
Asked if they discuss each other’s penalties, he said: “I can’t go up to Kane and tell him about pens because he is the best penalty taker. We don’t have to say anything, it’s just relentless.
“I think with Harry, it is incredible repetition and his process before the game is even played, he knows if he gets a penalty the next day, where he’s going, there’s no doubt in his mind.
“And I feel like that’s what it’s like with a lot of the lads, they would look at the keepers and study, but they have so much belief in their own process and technique that they’re going to score, and especially with these balls as well, from 12 yards if you hit it hard and well, I feel like it’s tough to save.
“If you put them in the corners, it’s really tough to save, so it’s about having a process and being strong-minded.”
