Germany pay penalty – for first time in 36 years

Germany’s missed World Cup penalty against Serbia helped disprove former England striker Gary Lineker’s light-hearted analysis that football is a game for 22 players and in the end the Germans always win.

Fans of Germany could hardly believe their eyes after Lukas Podolski put his kick too close to Serbian keeper Vladimir Stojkovic, not least because the last time a German missed from 12 yards many fans would not have been born.

Not since the 1974 World Cup had a Germany player missed a penalty outside of a shootout.

Former Bayern Munich star Uli Hoeness was the culprit who missed against Poland.

He would also concede the penalty from which Johan Neeskens gave Holland the lead in the final before Paul Breitner levelled – from the spot – and Gerd Mueller scored the winner.

“Podolski was courageous to step up but should have left it to Bastian Schweinsteiger,” said unimpressed former coach Franz Beckenbauer.

Until Podolski’s mishap Hoeness had been on his own as the only German player in World Cup history to miss from the spot – his effort saved by Jan Tomaszewski, the man Brian Clough once dubbed a ‘clown’ – save for Uli Stielike.

Stielike missed in a shootout against France in the 1982 World Cup semi-final, but his failure has been forgotten as goalkeeper Harald Schumacher saved two to help the Germans into the final where they lost to Italy.

In 1990, Germany won the final when Andreas Brehme notched his kick against Argentina for the only goal of a disappointing final.

German accuracy has even extended to the European Championship, save for one occasion when they lost the Euro 76 final to Czechoslovakia in what was the first shoot-out at a major final.

Those with long memories will perhaps recall how Antonin Panenka chipped a cheeky winner as the Czechs won after a sole missed German kick – by Uli Hoeness.