There have been many penalty shoot-outs in major tournaments over the years, but perhaps the most famous was the very first: in the 1976 UEFA European Championship showpiece in Belgrade. Twice Czechoslovakia led; twice world and European champions West Germany equalised, the second in the last minute. A half-hour later penalties were needed, and after Uli Hoeness had struck West Germany's fourth effort over the bar, Antonín Panenka sensationally chipped the ball past Sepp Maier to seal a 5-3 shoot-out win.
That penalty...
After each training session I used to stay behind after a game with our goalkeeper and take penalties – we would play for a bar of chocolate or a glass of beer. Since he was a very good goalkeeper it became an expensive proposition for me. So, sometimes before going to sleep I tried to think of ways of getting the better of him, to recoup my losses.
I got the idea that if I delayed the kick and just lightly chipped it, a goalkeeper who dived to the corner of the goal could not jump back up into the air, and this became the basis of my philosophy. I started slowly to test it and apply it in practice. As a side effect I started to gain weight, because I was winning the bets. I started to use it in friendlies, in minor leagues, and eventually I perfected it so I used it in the main league as well. The culmination was when I used it at the European Championship.
Giving Sepp Maier nightmares...
Well, I don't think Sepp Maier took it very well; he was and, perhaps still is, somewhat discomfited – I suspect he probably doesn't like the sound of my name too much. I never wished to make him look ridiculous, though. I am not aware of anyone who would be able to make fun of someone when the European Championship is at stake. On the contrary, I chose the penalty because I realised that it was the easiest and simplest way of scoring a goal. It's a simple recipe.
Well, I don't think Sepp Maier took it very well; he was and, perhaps still is, somewhat discomfited – I suspect he probably doesn't like the sound of my name too much. I never wished to make him look ridiculous, though. I am not aware of anyone who would be able to make fun of someone when the European Championship is at stake. On the contrary, I chose the penalty because I realised that it was the easiest and simplest way of scoring a goal. It's a simple recipe.
Czechoslovakia's surprise success...
When we left for the European Championship we were basically outsiders and nobody expected us to achieve any success there. We, the players, had a somewhat different view, even if we weren't great optimists either. Yet the fact is that we had a really strong team; the composition of the team was outstanding, made up of outstanding individuals.
When we left for the European Championship we were basically outsiders and nobody expected us to achieve any success there. We, the players, had a somewhat different view, even if we weren't great optimists either. Yet the fact is that we had a really strong team; the composition of the team was outstanding, made up of outstanding individuals.
We had a great balance; we had some real tough fighters, a few creators and a few finishers; the combination and range was ideal. We had excellent trainers and in 20 matches – both qualifying and friendlies – prior to the European Championship, nobody beat us. With the two matches at the finals we made it 22 games unbeaten; that in itself is sufficient testimony to the team's great strength.
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