Jermain Defoe reveals penalty practice every day

England earned their place in the last-16 with a nervy 1-0 win over Slovenia on Wednesday afternoon in Port Elizabeth, with the Germans setting up what could be another classic encounter by beating Ghana by a similar scoreline that evening.

And speaking to the press afterwards, Defoe admitted head coach Fabio Capello has insisted his team practice taking spot-kicks in preparation for the possibility of a shootout at some point in the competition.

'Ever since [the pre-World Cup training camp] in Austria, everyone has been practising them every day,' said Defoe.



'But I hope it doesn't have to go that far.'

England have lost to Germany on penalties twice - at the World Cup in 1990 and again at the European Championships in 1996 - and both times in the semi-finals.

The Three Lions have never won a spot-kicks competition at the World Cup, and have won only one of five in major international competitions against Spain in the quarter-finals of Euro 96.

But Defoe has said the prospect of joining players like Stuart Pearce, Chris Waddle, Gareth Southgate, and David Batty in the annuls of England's 12-yard anti-heroes does not faze him.

Asked if he would volunteer to take a spot-kick in a shoot-out, he added: 'Yes, 100 per cent.'