Why Bart Verbruggen’s penalty plan gives Oranje hope in shoot-outs

The Netherlands national team arrived in the United States with one clear advantage in their penalty shoot-out preparations: Bart Verbruggen. In a March 2025 shoot-out against Spain in Valencia, Verbruggen guessed the correct corner on five of the six penalties, a performance that convinced the Oranje staff he can rescue his team in a potential shoot-out. “There is a plan that I believe in,” Verbruggen said ahead of the World Cup. The Dutch coaching staff avoid elevating penalty-taking and saving to the level of obsession, unlike Louis van Gaal’s approach at Qatar 2022. “Together with all the specialists, we make a plan that I believe in,” Verbruggen said in the build-up to the tournament. Yet this was also the approach taken with Andries Noppert, who revealed in a recent interview that he discarded all pre-agreed strategies before the Argentina match and opted for a different approach with Justin Bijlow and Remko Pasveer. Verbruggen did not respond to the article when asked about penalty strategy during training in Zeist. He focused instead on the collective approach: “Ultimately, you have to do what you believe in as a goalkeeper. With the national team, we obviously spend a lot of time on penalties. We have a plan together.” Keeper coaches Patrick Lodewijks and Khalid Benlahsen use the Spain shoot-out in Valencia as a reference point. Though Verbruggen only saved Lamine Yamal’s attempt, the staff noted his performance in 2023 when, as a young Anderlecht goalkeeper, he stopped three penalties in the Europa Conference League.

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Verbruggen guessed correctly in five of the six penalties against Spain, but Geir Jordet, a Norwegian professor specialising in penalty analysis, identified room for improvement. “He could certainly have done more,” Jordet said. “Earlier reactions against players who had already decided their corner, regardless of the keeper’s actions, and more deception against players who choose late.” Jordet added: “Verbruggen could be more unpredictable. Against Spain, it was still too easy to read.” Robin Roefs may have a better trick: the Sunderland goalkeeper saved all penalties in an FA Cup shoot-out against Everton in January. Yet Verbruggen appears to be Koeman’s preferred option if a match is decided on penalties. Verbruggen has stayed quiet on the topic in recent weeks, aside from the shoot-outs against Sweden in 2004 and Costa Rica in 2014—national traumas. “What a goalkeeper does also depends on who is taking the penalty,” he said.

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Spain’s Mikel Merino, Aleix García, Ferran Torres, Álex Baena and Pedri did not beat Verbruggen, with only Yamal failing. Jordet noted Verbruggen’s strategy against Yamal: he stayed upright for a long time, a smart move since Yamal clearly based his choice on the keeper’s position. “It was the fourth penalty of the night and the first time he tried something new to distract the taker: he jumped to the post and clapped his hands.” Ronald Koeman remains pragmatic. “We have prepared and trained as well as possible,” the head coach said this month. Verbruggen’s penalty record and adaptability give Oranje a tactical edge, even if perfection remains elusive.