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Argentina has emerged as the most successful team in FIFA World Cup penalty shootouts, having competed in more deciders than any other nation while maintaining one of the highest success rates, according to tournament shootout records.
The South American side has taken part in seven penalty shootouts, winning six of them. Its only defeat came against Germany in the 2006 World Cup quarterfinal, where the team was eliminated after a 4–2 loss on penalties following a 1–1 draw.
Argentina’s successful shootout record spans several tournaments. In the 1990 World Cup, it defeated hosts Italy in the semifinal. At the 1998 tournament, it overcame England in the Round of 16.
In the 2014 World Cup, it eliminated the Netherlands in the semifinal. Most recently, at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Argentina won two decisive shootouts—against the Netherlands in the quarterfinal and France in the final—to secure the championship title.
Germany and Croatia also stand out for their exceptional records in World Cup penalty shootouts.
Germany has participated in four shootouts and won all four, maintaining a perfect record. Its victories include wins over France (1982 semifinal), Mexico (1986 quarterfinal), England (1990 semifinal) and Argentina (2006 quarterfinal), establishing it as one of the most reliable teams in high-pressure situations.
Similarly, Croatia has won all of its four World Cup penalty shootouts, a record achieved across the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. The team advanced past Denmark and Russia in 2018, and later defeated Japan and Brazil in 2022.
By contrast, several traditional football powers have struggled in penalty shootouts. England, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands have recorded limited success rates despite multiple appearances. England, however, recorded a notable improvement in 2018 when it defeated Colombia in a Round of 16 shootout.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar featured a notably high number of penalty-decided matches, with five games being resolved via shootouts. Argentina alone won two of these, while Croatia also advanced through both knockout rounds on penalties.
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