🔥The 9th Round of Easy Loan, Earn $40 Reward is in progress❗️ ⏰ Promotion Period: January 15th - Feburary 15th, 2025 👉 Register now and check more details at gate.io/campaigns/358

Messi #ARG has taken 5 pens at this WC! Scored 4/5. First was GK-Dependent v #KSA, then saved GK-Independent v #POL, scored GK-Dep x2 v #NED. Then switched strategy again vs #HRV, went GK-Ind, maybe adjusting due to Livakovic excellent pen record? Great pen!

Now Messi #ARG has scored 5/6 pens at this WC. Another strategy switch, this time GK-Dependent vs Lloris. Definitely needed (and took) a deep breath before that one!

After #FRA lost on pens in Euros last year (Mbappe missed kick 5), Deschamps called pen shootout a lottery. Has he learned since then? Pen conversion rate vs Martinez #ARG (disruptive GK) is 70pc & vs Lloris is 85pc. But… momentum! Let’s go!

The moment I remember most from the days I spent with Pelé writing his autobiography was when he opened his briefcase and took out a wooden spinning top. He said he carried it everywhere, and whenever he checked into a new hotel room would spin it on the floor. (1/2)

Yes, 2 tosses; 1st, by ref who picks heads/tails for which end (that went Luton end, but their captain didn't win that toss in the literal sense). 2nd toss to decide who kicks first, captain choice (Luton won & went 1st). Note: there's NO advantage in shooting twds your own fans

⚽️* FREE TALK ALERT * ⚽️ In the last 18 months, Ben Lyttleton and I have visited more than 50 primary schools in the UK for FREE to get kids reading. We love these visits and want to visit 50 more in the next 18 months. If you would like us to come to YOUR school pls read👇

The new FOOTBALL SCHOOL Encyclopedia, written with Alex Bellos, is out next week! A treasure-trove of facts, stunning illustrations & in full colour - the perfect gift for curious football minds of all ages. Enjoy! amzn.to/456AVYE

🚀LAUNCH DAY!🚀 THE FOOTBALL SCHOOL ENCYCLOPEDIA is out today! Packed with facts, trivia, flags, kits and the odd terrible joke, it’s everything you want to know about football and more - and the perfect stocking filler 💥⚽️amazon.co.uk/Football-Schoo…

This year, BookTrust want to give out 17,000 festive book gifts through community food banks and to children in care. Please help! #MagicOfBooks booktrust.org.uk/xmas

Teachers, parents & football fans! I can’t wait to celebrate World Book Day UK 📚 with great authors & TOP (like, VERY TOP) footballers in a huge quiz with @literacy_trust Premier League Communities and kit brown ⚽️🏆📚 Last year over 170,00 kids took part! Sign up here: literacytrust.org.uk/events/world-b…

Thank you to all the teachers & almost HALF A MILLION children who joined me & the brilliant Mr Brown to celebrate books & football - amazing! And thank you to Premier League Communities & National Literacy Trust for donating 50 THOUSAND books - what a way to mark #WBD2024! 🎉📚⚽️

Very harsh on Maignan, who dominated the space before both Lewandowski penalties. Lewa gets to stutter but MM is penalised? Still feel France 🇫🇷 might have won WC final vs 🇦🇷 if Maignan had subbed on for Lloris pre shoot-out

Pens! Look out for: advantage to team kicking first; players’ reaction time after ref whistle (CR7 too quick, nerves); body language & celebs after scoring; GK distraction efforts. In previous WC & Euros, pen No 8 (kick 4 for team going 2nd) is decisive, conversion only 55%

For those who enjoyed last night’s penalty drama, you will love Geir Jordet new book Pressure, which goes deep on shoot-out tactics and psychology research. Highly recommended!

Ronaldo decisive to the end there. It looked like he won the toss for 🇵🇹 and chose to kick second. My research has kicking first an advantage as the pressure increases on players when kicking second later in the shootout. So ends 🇫🇷 pen hoodoo!

Teachers! Don’t forget to sign up to National Literacy Trust Premier League Communities football & books quiz for World Book Day UK 📚 next Thursday. Special guests from Premier League, WSL & Lionesses. Over 500k kids took part last year! Sign up here: literacytrust.org.uk/events/world-b…

Wow! 🤩 More than half a million (561,299 to be exact!) school children joined us for the Great Big Footy & Booky Quiz with Premier League Communities and World Book Day UK 📚. Thank you Ben Lyttleton and Mr Brown for presenting. Missed it live? Watch back: youtu.be/axb1DAkSwrE

⚽📚 Learning through football! The brilliant author Ben Lyttleton delivered a wonderful workshop for our #PLPrimaryStars, bringing school curriculum to life❤️ We enjoyed a drama session, danced, sang and took on Mighty Red in a penalty shoutout✨ Premier League Communities