Title Details

This is the history of the penalty kick, which originated in County Armagh in 1890. The text charts the rise and fall of this controversial aspect of the game, from the early days when teams initially refused to take them because it was considered ungentlemanly, to the present when many strikers are criticized for their "swan-diving" in the goal-keeper's box, in hope of being awarded one. It features analysis and comment by players and managers such as Michel Platini, Terry Venables, Gary Lineker, Jurgen Klinsmann, and Glen Hoddle, among others.