Portugal Advances to Quarterfinals
Diogo Costa became a national hero by saving three consecutive penalties at Euro 2024, propelling Portugal to the quarterfinals after eliminating Slovenia in a thrilling shootout.
The Portuguese team won 3-0, thanks to Costa’s outstanding saves, making him the first goalkeeper in Euro history to achieve this feat.
A Historic Milestone
In the penalty shootout, Costa stopped the shots of Ilicic, Balkovec, and Verbic, securing victory for Portugal.
This achievement places him in the history books as the first goalkeeper to save three consecutive penalties in a Euro shootout.
Let’s revisit other epic penalty shootouts in European football since FIFA introduced this format in 1970.
Memorable Penalty Shootouts
In 1970, the first shootout in UEFA competitions saw Budapest Honvéd defeat Aberdeen 5-4 in the Cup Winners’ Cup.
The longest penalty shootout occurred at the 2007 U21 European Championship, with the Netherlands defeating England 13-12 after 32 kicks.
However, the record for the most goals in a shootout is held by Gzira United, who won 14-13 against Glentoran in the 23-24 Conference League.
Successes and Failures in Penalties
Villarreal won their first European title after defeating Manchester United 11-10 in the 2021 Europa League, while Barcelona suffered a painful defeat in 1986 against Steaua Bucharest, losing 2-0 on penalties after a 0-0 draw in regulation time.
Diogo Costa has etched his name in Euro history, and his performance will be remembered as one of the greatest in European football penalty shootouts.
