Question Number: 26516

Kicks From The Penalty mark 6/29/2012

RE: fan Adult

Bill Smith of lIVINGSTON, West Lothian Scotland asks...

At a penalty shoot-out, are the players obliged to play in order, from the list given to the ref, or can they take the pens in any order ?

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

They take penalty kicks in any order. There is no list given to the referee.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Ian
This has been asked a number of times recently I assume based on the Alves penalty kick incident in Kick from the Penalty Mark in the Spain v Portugal game
There is nothing in the laws of the Game that require a list or order to be provided to the referee. The only requirement is that every eligble player must take a penalty before a player can take a 2nd one. However it can be a competition rule. UEFA I know has put in place a competition rule that the goal to be used for the kicks is to be determined by a coin toss whereas the laws allow the referee to choose.
Anyway convention has developed that a list is provided to the referee which does bring an order to proceedings rather than a decision on every penalty kick. I assume that in the Alves incident the fact that he was already on his way to take the penalty that the AR allowed the change of order or that Portugal had a last minute change which was also agreed to by allowing Nani to take the penalty.
I recall in the Charity Shield final between manchester United and Chelsea a number of seasons ago Deco seemed to be prevented from taking the 4th penalty which was to win the game. It seemed like Kalou was listed as the 4th taker and that the referee insisted on that order. Chelsea did not protest and the penalty was scored.