The World Cup is in the lose-and-go-home stage of the tournament and the pressure keeps rising with every minute of every match.
The biggest pressure cooker of them all: the penalty kick shootout. Exhausted players and goalkeepers face off in a tense one-on-one confrontation that carries the hopes and dreams of entire nations.
Two of the first four matches in the round of 32 were settled by shootouts: Morocco beat the Netherlands and Paraguay bested Germany.
A miss can mean humiliation. A goalkeeper's save or the final bulge of the ball in the back of the net can bring tears of joy to millions.
That kind of pressure can reach “inhumane” levels, almost all of it focused on the penalty takers, said Geir Jordet, a professor at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences and author of the book, “Pressure: Lessons from the Psychology of the Penalty Shootout.”
“In our research, the only emotion everyone agrees is present is anxiety,” Jordet said.
Expect more shootouts, more pressure, more anxiety.
A record five games at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar were settled by penalty kicks, including the final when Argentina beat France.
“As you go into knockout football it’s something that becomes more prominent in the games,” England winger Noni Madueke said. "So like every part of our game we want to be at the highest level when it comes to that.”
This tense battle of wills is fought over a 12-yard (11-meter) distance between the penalty spot and the goal line. The shootout was added to the game in 1970 and has settled several of the world's biggest tournaments.
The first World Cup final to be settled by penalty kicks was Brazil’s 1994 victory over Italy. That shootout also produced one of the most infamous misses in soccer history when Italy great Roberto Baggio sent the final kick over the crossbar.
Techniques vary.
Some take the kick quickly. Others pause, taking deep, calming breaths before they approach. Some run and strike it hard. A popular variation is the stutter-step, waiting for the goalkeeper to commit to which way he's going.
The penalty taker faces the most pressure in the moment because he's expected to score, Jordet told The Associated Press by email.
Research shows that the players who start toward the ball almost immediately after the referee's whistle more often miss than those wait between two and five seconds, he said.
“We suspect this is because those who (wait) extremely short sometimes do so because they, understandably, just want to get this stressful situation done and over with,” Jordet said.
It takes guts to be in that moment, United States forward Christian Pulisic said.
“For the people that go up and shoot, it takes a lot of courage. It’s not easy,” Pulisic said. “Goalkeepers get better and better every single year."
Standing between the posts, goalkeepers have three basic choices. Dive left, dive right or stay in the middle in a guessing game of anticipation.
Morocco keeper Yassine Bounou did something critically different. On the decisive save against the Netherlands, he moved to his right while standing up.
By staying upright, Bounou used his left hand to easily swat away the kick from Crysencio Summerville, who was shooting for the upper corner. Had Bounou dives, the ball would have easily found the net.
The best goalkeepers are “creative, deliberate and volatile” in their attempts to disrupt the shooter, Jordet said.
Tactics can include throwing the ball away, verbal insults and physical confrontation at the penalty spot. The mind games can get so hostile they can result in a yellow card for the goalkeeper.
He noted Bounou's well-timed body twitches and hand fakes to disrupt shooters' timing. The “master” of the mind games, Jordet said, is Argentina keeper Emiliano Martinez, who has won his last six penalty shootouts, including the 2022 World Cup final.
Selecting the lineup for a shootout has its own rhythms and risks for a coach and a team. It is a delicate balance between analytics, experience and gut feeling.
Some players will be automatic choices. Imagine France in a shootout without Kylian Mbappé or Argentina without Lionel Messi with the World Cup on the line.
“The guys who feel the most confident to go up and shoot will want to go shoot. I think that’s normal," Pulisic said. “We haven’t been in many shootouts with these guys, but like I feel it’s a pretty brave, courageous team.”
A shootout lineup should be decided and discussed well beforehand, and not a call for volunteers in the moment, Jordet said.
After Germany and Paraguay were still even after five penalty attempts each, Germany captain Joshua Kimmich asked his teammates who wanted to take the sixth. Jonathan Tah stepped up for the first penalty attempt of his career and launched the ball over the bar.
Players should rehearse the critical moment months ahead of time, Jordet said.
“Make sure that when you are called to take a kick, you have a strong and robust penalty technique, and you have a rehearsed and stable pre-shot routine that can help you lock your attention,” Jordet said. “With that type of focus, you have done what you can, and the outcome will be what it will be.”
AP Sports Writers Josh Dubow, Steve Douglas and James Robson contributed to this report.
See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here
Paraguay's Gustavo Gomez celebrates after winning the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between Germany and Paraguay in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Monday, June 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou (1) saves a penalty from Netherlands' Crysencio Summerville (24) during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between the Netherlands and Morocco in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Monday, June 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
Netherlands' Crysencio Summerville (24) reacts after missing a penalty as Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou (1) walks past during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between the Netherlands and Morocco in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Monday, June 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
LONDON (AP) — The roars began even before Serena Williams stepped on Centre Court. Then they grew louder when the 23-time Grand Slam champion arrived to play her first singles match in nearly four years.
And when it was all over and the 44-year-old Williams had performed admirably in a three-set defeat to an opponent less than half her age in the opening round of Wimbledon with her two daughters cheering her on, Williams smiled as she walked off to a loud round of applause.
“It was really great to be back at Wimbledon. I never expected to be here,” Williams, who did not meet with media after the match, said in a statement released by Wimbledon organizers. “The atmosphere was amazing. Walking out was amazing. I definitely relished it and missed it and enjoyed the moment more than anything.”
In a 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 loss to 20-year-old Maya Joint of Australia on Tuesday, Williams showed she can still crank out serves faster than 120 mph and dictate points with her heavy groundstrokes.
Movement was an issue for Williams, though, and the 87th-ranked Joint was able to handle Williams' pace and win more of the big points by hitting beyond the American's reach.
While Williams played two doubles matches just before Wimbledon to announce her comeback to the sport she once dominated, she hadn’t played a singles match since the 2022 U.S. Open.
“She has such an aura, she’s just a legend and this court has so many huge names that have played on it,” Joint added. “I’ve been dreaming about this moment since I was a little kid, so this is pretty crazy.”
Williams has 98 career victories and seven titles in singles on the hallowed grass of the All England Club. By contrast, it was Joint’s first Wimbledon victory in just her second appearance at the All England Club after losing in the opening round last year.
But Joint won a Wimbledon warmup in nearby Eastbourne last year and knows how to play on grass.
Williams, who has no singles ranking after being out for so long, was given wild card invitations by Wimbledon organizers to play singles and also doubles with older sister Venus. Her doubles match will come later in the week.
Williams has said that having her two daughters off from school inspired her comeback and it marked the first time that her youngest daughter, Adira, who is almost three, saw her play singles. Adira sat next to her 8-year-old sister, Olympia in the front row of Serena’s players’ box.
Fans started cheering when Williams' name was announced as the next match on Centre Court and then they gave her a standing ovation as she walked out before the match started under a closed roof. Several supporters held up signs with messages like “Welcome Back” and one wore a T-shirt that said “Unstoppable Queen.”
Williams executed a delicate topspin lob winner early on and then cranked out a 121 mph ace to hold for 3-3 in the first set. But Williams also had a costly double-fault which led to the only break of the first set.
In the second set, Williams came back from 0-40 and saved four break points to hold for 6-5. Then Williams saved a match point in the tiebreaker with a big serve down the T followed by a forehand approach winner. Another big serve — clocking in at 122 mph — set up Serena’s first set point, which she converted when Joint missed a forehand long.
After winning the set, Williams pumped her fist calmly.
But Joint took control early in the third and a forehand from Williams sailed long on Joint’s third match point to conclude the encounter after 2 hours, 22 minutes.
Williams and Joint both had 37 unforced errors, while Joint led 40-26 in winners.
After the opening day featured wins for No. 1s Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka, along with Novak Djokovic, French Open champion Alexander Zverev and defending Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek made it into the second round on Tuesday.
In a match between hard servers, the second-seeded Zverev beat Alexander Blockx 6-4, 6-7 (8), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (0).
Swiatek, who had her father and sister looking on from the Royal Box, struggled with her serve and committed nine double-faults before overcoming Taylor Townsend 6-1, 2-6, 6-3.
No. 2 Elena Rybakina also advanced, beating Lois Boisson 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.
Fourth-seeded Ben Shelton, a quarterfinalist here last year, lost to 140th-ranked Finnish qualifier Otto Virtanen in five sets, going out 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (8), 6-2, 7-6 (9).
Also, 2021 finalist Matteo Berrettini beat Stan Wawrinka 6-7 (7), 7-6 (16), 7-6 (7), 7-6 (5). It was the final Wimbledon match for Wawrinka, who plans to retire at the end of the year.
AP Sports Writers Mattias Karen and Ken Maguire contributed to this report.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Serena Williams of the United States greets the audience as she leaves after losing to Maya Joint of Australia in their first round women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Serena Williams of the United States serves against Maya Joint of Australia in their first round women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Maya Joint of Australia plays a forehand against Serena Williams of the United States in their first round women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Serena Williams of the United States celebrates winning a point against Maya Joint of Australia in their first round women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Serena Williams of the United States returns the ball to Maya Joint of Australia in their first round women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Venus Williams of the United States and her husband Andrea Preti stand on the royal box to watch the first round women's singles match between Serena Williams of the United States and Maya Joint of Australia, at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Serena's William husband Alexis Ohanian stand with their daughters Olympia and Adira on the stands, as they wait to watch the first round women's singles match between Serena Williams of the United States and Maya Joint of Australia, at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Serena's William husband Alexis Ohanian and their daughters Olympia and Adira watch the first round women's singles match between Serena Williams of the United States and Maya Joint of Australia, at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Serena Williams of the United States enters the centre court to play against Maya Joint of Australia in their first round women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Iga Swiatek of Poland gets emotional after winning her first round women's singles match against Taylor Townsend of the United States, at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Iga Swiatek of Poland gets emotional after winning her first round women's singles match against Taylor Townsend of the United States, at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Serena Williams of the United States arrives for a practice session ahead of her women's singles match against Maya Joint of Australia at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026.(AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
Serena Williams of the United States arrives for a practice session ahead of her women's singles match against Maya Joint of Australia at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026.(AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
Serena Williams of the United States arrives for a practice session ahead of her women's singles match against Maya Joint of Australia at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026.(AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
Serena Williams of the United States arrives for a practice session ahead of her women's singles match against Maya Joint of Australia at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026.(AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
Serena Williams of the United States, left, arrives to practice one day ahead of the start of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Sunday, June 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Serena Williams of the United States arrives to practice one day ahead of the start of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Sunday, June 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Serena Williams of the United States arrives to practice one day ahead of the start of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Sunday, June 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
