Germany lost the European final (76?) on penalties and has not lost since. Why? Preparation and exercise.

I do so hope that is tempting fate.

When players like Lineker and Shearer say that there is no way to prepare for that moment, I tend to accept the views of those who have stood in this position - with the weight and expectation of the whole nation on your shoulders.

Mock crowd noise, PA annoucements and playing to the whistle may be a little help with confidence in order to prepare for the real thing and goalkeeper's notes may reduce the odds od diving the wrong way, but there really is no getting around the fact that the outcome of penalty shoot outs will alway be down to luck. And that a toss of a coin would be a kinder way of deciding drawn games. I am sure the German team would practise their skills at tossing and prepare for that also.........And claim this influenced to outcome?

Yes you can always practice jumping off a burning ship into an icy ocean and make this as realistic as possible - but no one knows how pressure of the real thing will affect even the most experienced of sailors. The same is true of shoot outs and the most skilled of footballers. The list of great footballers who have muffed their shots and keepers who guess wrong is a long one.

However, confidence may be a factor. The German team can take confidence from their past record in tournaments- other teams cannot.