Zwitserse defender Akanji vows to quit penalties after World Cup miss

On Tuesday evening in Doha, Swiss defender Manuel Akanji announced that he will never again step up for a penalty after missing his spot‑kick in the WK-penaltyreeks Dit. The miss came after a 120‑minute stalemate that forced the match to be decided from the spot, and the Swiss side ultimately progressed thanks to other players' errors. Switzerland faced Colombia in the last eight of the World Cup, and after 120 minutes of goalless play the match went to a penalty shootout. Akanji's penalty sailed over the bar, while the missers of Davinson Sanchez and Cucho Hernandez ensured the Zwitsers advanced to the quarter‑final. Manuel Akanji told the Swiss press, “Ik heb tegen de bondscoach gezegd dat dit de laatste penalty was die ik genomen heb. Het was een catastrophe.” He added, “Ik heb op het laatste moment mijn hoek veranderd. Ik zag dat de keeper al twee keer naar links gedoken was. Ik was wat gehaast en daardoor ging mijn bal vier meter over het doel.”

At 117 minutes, Lucumi rattles the bar as Switzerland edge Colombia on penalties

The defender, who plays for Internazionale, said he will never again take a penalty in his career. His decision reflects the trauma of that night and the pressure of the WK‑penaltyreeks. Discussion centered , as well as the Balogun-rel and the departure of Ronaldo. Voor the future, Akanji hopes his choice will protect his confidence and guide coaches in selecting penalty takers.

At 22:00 in Vancouver, Switzerland and Colombia clash for a World Cup quarter-final place

Akanji's stance underscores the psychological weight of World Cup shootouts and may influence how teams approach penalty assignments in upcoming tournaments.