Why the penalty shoot-out was introduced and how it has changed the game for good

Penalties and penalty shoot-outs have become such an integral part of the game these days that it is close to impossible to imagine it without them. It brings more balance and fairness to the game by eliminating certain ambiguities that were prevalent in the past. Not to mention the drama and the adrenaline rush it adds too.

Imagine how different the Italy vs. France 2006 World Cup finals would have been if not for the penalty shoot-outs. Or the Manchester United vs. Chelsea thriller in the European Cup finals of 2008 which is still talked about so much(Video below). Or even the iconic Ivory Coast vs. Ghana (probably also because of Gervinho’s expressions or lack thereof) penalty shoot-out in the AFCON this year which went down to the very end.

Think of the thousands of penalty decisions during the 90 minutes of a game too. So many matches and tournaments could have had different results had this rule not been in place. The game is much richer thanks to this rule, and let’s not forget the chance it gives us to scream in anticipation or revolt when a player goes down in the box.