Euro 1976: Panenka's Bold Move Seals Czechoslovakia's Victory

Euro 1976 was not supposed to reach penalties, but the Germans’ rush to their sun loungers changed history.  As defending champions and World Cup winners, West Germany were clear favorites. Even if Czechoslovakia held out through extra time, the plan was for a replay. Welsh referee Clive Thomas was told to delay his return from Yugoslavia. However, plans changed hours before the match.

“The German Football Association requested penalties instead of a replay,” recalls Antonin Panenka. “They said their players had holidays booked.” Czechoslovakia, underdogs, preferred a shootout. Panenka, known for his elegant playmaking, reaffirmed his strategy, honed over years in Prague, practicing penalties after training at Bohemians with goalkeeper Zdenek Hruska.

Panenka aimed centrally to unsettle Hruska, a tactic successful in Euro 1976. “People here knew about it,” Panenka said, contrasting Western disinterest in Czechoslovak football. In the final’s decisive penalty, facing West German goalkeeper Sepp Maier, Panenka relied on instinct, not tactics. His trademark chip down the center sealed Czechoslovakia’s unexpected victory, uniting Prague in rare public celebration since the Prague Spring.

Reflecting on the impact of his penalty, Panenka felt a mix of pride in its innovation and a sense of being overshadowed in his career by its fame. Despite this, he emphatically declared, “I would execute it again without hesitation,” affirming his belief in the enduring value and daring spirit of his signature technique.