Cannavaro reveals the difficult behind the scenes of the penalty shootout in the 1998 World Cup

Former Italian national team captain, Fabio Cannavaro, confirmed that the moments of penalty kicks are among the most difficult experiences that any player can go through, noting that the pressure in those moments is enormous on everyone, whether on the one who takes the kick or the one watching it.

Cannavaro said at the World Sports Summit in Dubai: “He does not forget the scene of his teammates Gennaro Gattuso sitting under the bench without shoes, in a picture that reflects the great tension that dominated the entire team, even though they were not among the penalty kick takers.”

He added: “The fear of penalty kicks has haunted me since the Italian team lost the World Cup title in 1998, and it is a feeling that has remained stuck in my memory to this day.”

The great Italian star pointed out that: “Taking on this responsibility requires special preparation and great confidence, because penalty kicks are not decided only at the moment of implementation, but rather begin with long work on them during training.”

Cannavaro stressed that many people do not realize the true feeling in those moments. The player facing the opportunity to take a kick is under tremendous pressure, so the distance between the middle of the field and the penalty point seems endless, as if time stops completely.

He concluded his speech by saying that “the thoughts that pass through the player’s mind within a few seconds are not only related to football, but rather extend to his personal life and his entire sporting career, whether negative or positive.”