Deconstructing a myth: Penalty shootouts were not invented in the Carranza Trophy

It is one of the most widespread myths in football. In fact, if they try to write 'penalty shootout’ in an Internet search engine will appear in multiple entries which ensures that this way of resolving a tie for a playoff game was invented in Cádiz in a Carranza trophy.

However, this is not so. And do not say a server, says the Cádiz CF itself on its website. It has always been believed that Don Rafael Ballester, who drafted the regulation of that issue Carranza 1962, He was the inventor of penalty shoot-outs but as explained in the article cited above: “There is evidence that the Yugoslav Cup in the years 50 already they defined, If necessary, the winner of the playoffs through penalty shootouts as work done by Jorge Gallego“.

CARRANZA TROPHY FINAL 1962

That day 2 September 1962 Barcelona Y Zaragoza They tied for Carranza and they had to settle this tie with the famous shootout. But, to make matters worse, We can not even say that this was the first held in Spain since, again as explained on the website of the club cadista:

“…either at national level may be considered to Carranza as a pioneer in the application of this new alternative. According to a study by Luis Javier Bravo Mayor, there is no evidence that same day, 2 September 1962, the end of disputed Carranza trophy in Cádiz, there were two records that were resolved by penalty shootouts.

On the morning of that day A Coruña Victoria disputed modest Trophy soccer tournament and definition reached by the system. Hours later in the eighth edition of the Trofeo Concepcion Arenal played in Ferrol (A Coruña), the Real Betis He prevailed on penalties to RCD Coruña in the end, after having tied to a goal after ninety minutes of regulation.

The end of Carranza trophy He began at eleven p.m., lasting three hours and quarter to proclaim the CF Barcelona champion. This means that was closed on the two-fifteen in the morning of September 3. Thus, these batches between Catalans and hands went after those held in Galicia”.

OF THE Panenka penalties

The UEFA and the FIFA They adopted this form of tiebreaker years later. The first Euro in which it was implemented was to 1976. The final pitting Czechoslovakia Y Germany I had to be decided from the penalty spot and a player recorded with gold letters his name by its peculiar style when launching one of the maximum penalties, Antonin Panenka.

Since then, numerous rounds in final stages of world, Eurocopas and major European competitions have been solved by 'lottery’ of penalties deciding even world championships.