Question 1

True or false: Women's World Cup penalty shootouts have a slightly shorter distance between the ball and the goal than men's.

Accepted Answer

False. The penalty spot distance is the same—12 yards—for both men's and women's soccer at all professional levels.

Question 2

True or false: In a penalty shootout, a single player can take multiple kicks before any other teammate has taken one.

Accepted Answer

False. Under IFAB Law 10, a player may not take a second kick until all other eligible teammates on both teams have taken at least one kick in the current sequence.

Question 3

True or false: Goalkeepers are required to keep at least one foot on the goal line until the ball is kicked during a shootout.

Accepted Answer

True. According to IFAB Law 14, goalkeepers must have at least one foot on or in line with the goal line when a penalty kick is taken. VAR enforces this, and violations lead to a retake.

Question 4

True or false: A goalkeeper who saves a penalty can legally celebrate by running to the center circle and sliding on their knees.

Accepted Answer

True. The Laws of the Game do not prohibit specific celebration gestures, only cautionable offenses such as delaying the restart or acting in a provocative manner. A run to the center circle and knee slide is legal if not excessive.

Question 5

True or false: In a penalty shootout, a player can legally score by tapping the ball forward and then scoring on the rebound himself.

Accepted Answer

False. The kicker cannot touch the ball again until another player touches it. A tap-and-rebound goal would be illegal and disallowed.

Question 6

True or false: In a penalty shootout, a team's fifth penalty taker is statistically the most likely to miss.

Accepted Answer

True. Research shows the fifth kicker has the lowest conversion rate, often facing elimination pressure.

Question 7

True or false: The penalty shootout was invented by a German referee who was also a former Olympic hurdler.

Accepted Answer

True. Referee Karl Wald proposed the shootout in 1970 to replace the coin toss; he had competed in the 1936 Olympics as a hurdler.

Question 8

True or false: The first penalty shootout in World Cup history ended with a score of 4-2.

Accepted Answer

False. The first World Cup shootout was in 1982: West Germany beat France 5-4. A 4-2 score never occurred in a World Cup shootout.

Penalty Shootout Trivia Questions