Carli Lloyd, a legend of the U.S. women’s national soccer team, recently shared her thoughts on the complexities involved in executing penalty kicks during her appearance on Alexi Lalas’ State of the Union Podcast. Lloyd emphasized that the term ’luck’ does not resonate with her when it comes to achieving success on the field. She believes that creating opportunities and capitalizing on them is critical.
“I don’t like the term luck. And that’s why I said you create your own luck. You have the opportunities that come your way. You capitalize, and you use them to your advantage.”
(Translation: “Don’t rely on luck. It’s about making the most of every opportunity.”)
With a short distance of 12 yards separating a player from potential triumph and heartbreak, the act of taking a penalty kick blends skill, a sprinkle of luck, and significant mental strength. During the Women’s Euro, the topic of penalty kicks was particularly prominent as England needed them to defeat Sweden and Spain. The overall conversion rate for penalties in the tournament stood at just 55%, marking the lowest percentage recorded at either a Women’s Euro or FIFA Women’s World Cup since 2011.
Lloyd singled out England’s Chloe Kelly for her confident penalty shot that secured the win over Spain, remarking, “She knew she was going to make it. And for me, that’s telling, when you step up and you’re confident in making a penalty.”
Reflecting on her own experiences during her career, Lloyd recalled how the 2011 World Cup final motivated her to enhance her penalty-taking skillset. In that fateful match against Japan, her team faced the daunting challenge of penalties, which ultimately decided the game.
“I practiced penalties here and there. We would prepare as a team. It was definitely something that we took pride in. We all made ours at that point,” she explained.
(Translation: “We took penalties seriously and always aimed to succeed.”)
Lloyd’s personal journey involved rigorous preparation, particularly after a missed penalty kick in the 2011 final caused her to reevaluate her approach. “At that moment, I said to myself: I need to prepare more for penalties because I wasn’t prepared. I don’t normally take them, so I made a conscious effort after training sessions to just hit penalties all the time, 10 a day after training sessions.”
By the time the 2015 Women’s World Cup arrived, Lloyd had honed her technique, leading the U.S. to victory. She understood that facing a goalkeeper was as much a psychological endeavor as it was a physical one.
“It was such a mind game and I think that’s the biggest battle. It’s not the keeper, it’s between your own ears and what you’re thinking. Positive self-talk, your routine and your preparation.”
(Translation: “The real challenge lies within you, in your mindset and preparation.”)
