England Knocked Out on Penalties Again in World Cup Knockout Stage

England’s penalty shootout woes return as they crash out of the World Cup once more.

Following yet another devastating shootout loss, this time to Portugal, England was eliminated from the 2025 FIFA World Cup in the quarterfinals, continuing their long standing problems with penalty shootouts at major tournaments. The match, played in front of a tense and expectant crowd, ended 1-1 after extra time. Bukayo Saka's well placed header gave England the lead in the 38th minute, but João Félix's incredible goal early in the second half gave Portugal the equalizer. Despite several close chances and a spirited performance from both sides, the deadlock remained, pushing the match into penalties. England had shown signs of overcoming their shootout curse in recent years, notably in the 2018 World Cup and Euro 2021. However, history repeated itself as Marcus Rashford and Trent Alexander-Arnold missed their spot kicks, allowing Portugal to edge past with a 4-3 win in the shootout. Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford made one save during the penalties, but it wasn’t enough to prevent yet another familiar exit. The heartbreak was visible on the faces of the players, many of whom had hoped to change the narrative this time. Manager Gareth Southgate, who himself missed a penalty in Euro 1996, expressed deep disappointment after the match. “We did everything right for most of the game, but penalties are a cruel way to go out,” he said. With a talented generation of players and growing expectations, England’s inability to progress past the knockout stages via penalties remains a significant psychological hurdle. Fans were left to reflect on what could have been once again as their team bowed out of the World Cup in the most agonizing fashion.