England's goalkeeper Jordan Pickford used a unique strategy to secure victory over Switzerland, according to The Independent.
The game, which ended 1-1 in regular time, was decided by a flawless penalty shootout where England triumphed by scoring all five penalties.
The match saw Breel Embolo score for Switzerland in the second half, quickly followed by Bukayo Saka’s equalizer.
Despite intense play, the score remained tied through extra time, leading to the decisive penalty shootout.
England's spot-kick specialists—Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Ivan Toney, and Trent Alexander-Arnold—converted their penalties with precision.
A key element in England’s success was Pickford’s innovative use of a “penalty cheat sheet” taped to his drinks bottle. This secret weapon listed each Swiss player’s penalty tendencies.
The bottle featured a detailed “Switzerland penalty taker list,” providing critical insights that guided Pickford’s actions during the shootout.
The bottle advised, “AKANJI: DIVE LEFT,” a directive Pickford followed to save the penalty from Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji.
However, not all instructions were heeded exactly. For Fabian Schar, the note read, “SCHAR: FAKE RIGHT – DIVE LEFT,” but Pickford opted to dive right instead. Despite these variations, the strategy proved effective overall.
In another instance, the instruction for Xherdan Shaqiri was “DIVE LEFT.” Pickford complied, but Shaqiri’s well-placed shot was unstoppable.
Similarly, for Zeki Amdouni, the note suggested, “HOLD – DIVE LEFT – GO! (LOW).” Pickford held his position before diving left, yet Amdouni’s kick was perfectly executed down the middle.
Ultimately, Alexander-Arnold’s successful penalty clinched the win for England, making Pickford’s single save crucial in their progression to the semi-finals.