Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has outlined his love of taking penalties with the No. 66 explaining his thought process and ability to stay cool under pressure after a perfect spot kick at Euro 2024.
"When you are walking out, your mind is completely clear," he told the Daily Mirror , referring back to his pressure kick for England against Switzerland that sent his nation into the semi-finals at Euro 2024 . "You do not think about it, you have to concentrate on the task in hand, blank out the stadium.
"You do not think about what it is until you score. Then you realize it is a huge moment for the country, a huge moment for the team and for yourself. When it hits the net, some part of you is relieved. Even though you have prepared, you may mishit, they may save it.
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"But once it hits the back of the net, it is all about the magnitude of what you have done, what it means to the manager, what it means to the group, and the many people watching. So much is invested in that moment, in that one kick of the ball. I ran to the fans because there were so many there throughout the tournament, their passion got us through games so it was a moment for them."
Alexander-Arnold has never taken a penalty for Liverpool. But it certainly sounds like a prospect that he would relish.
"It kept the tournament alive and we moved on to yet another amazing occasion in the semi-final," Alexander-Arnold continued. "I think that penalty will be a stand-out moment for me in my career, no doubt about that, and one not many players will get the chance to do, to win a penalty shootout in a quarter-final to go through, it is hard to beat.
"If we got to a World Cup final, I would take another one, for me once you get onto that stage, it is about showing your talent, showing your skill. I see it more as an opportunity rather than pressure, you are confident in knowing you have prepared yourself, preparation means confidence in life and that applies in matches."
While it is Mohamed Salah who currently takes the spot kicks for Liverpool , Alexander-Arnold could be an option for when the Egyptian is not on the field or when the time comes for him to move on — assuming that the Reds number 66 pens a contract extension at Anfield and remains at the club longer.
But Salah is not the only player that Alexander-Arnold would have to fend off. Alexis Mac Allister is exceptional at scoring from penalties as he showed plenty of times for Brighton, while Darwin Nunez and Dominik Szoboszlai have both also taken them successfully in the past.
Liverpool.com says: Alexander-Arnold should be capable of scoring a few more goals each season because of how good his technical ability is. Penalties could be one way of improving his tally, though he should be netting a few more from open play as well. Priority number one, however, is tying him down a new deal.
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