English football pundit Gary Neville reveals the hidden reason why 28-year-old defender Manuel Akanji missed his penalty in Switzerland’s shootout defeat vs England at Euro 2024

Every footballer must detest the moment when Manuel Akanji misses the penalty that results in his nation being eliminated from a significant international tournament on penalties.

Akanji did not hesitate to acknowledge that he could have executed a superior penalty goal after England had defeated Switzerland on penalties.

Manchester City’s number 25 was understandably crying in the aftermath of the contest.

Phil Foden, John Stones, and Kyle Walker offered solace to their City teammate following the match, a gesture that Gary Lineker commended.

Gary Neville evaluates the error that Manuel Akanji committed during his penalty failure during the 2024 Euros.

Walker, according to Luke Shaw, corroborated Jordan Pickford’s research regarding Akanji’s penalty-taking procedure by indicating the location of his intended shot.

Nevertheless, the penalty of the two-time Premier League champion was executed at an optimal height for Pickford to prevent it from passing him by.

Murat Yakin’s team, which forced the English to the brink of elimination, were eliminated despite playing some of the tournament’s finest football.

Akanji’s error in stepping up for his penalty, which occurred immediately after England had taken a 1-0 lead against Switzerland after two successful spot kicks, was momentarily addressed by Gary Neville.

Neville stated upon his appearance on ITV Sport, “The brief preparation period was not favorable.” He appeared to lack confidence, did he not?

Additionally, Joleon Lescott said, “That run-up was excessively brief.” He was attempting to escape the area.

The lesson that Akanji should remember in the aftermath of Switzerland’s defeat to England
Akanji may be motivated to modify his penalty-taking approach after learning what Gary Neville and Joleon Lescott identified.

Not only in terms of the manner in which he struck the ball, but also in terms of the former Borussia Dortmund center-back’s run-up and lack of concealment beforehand.

Akanji may appear a lot more self-assured in the future if the game goes to penalties, as Switzerland are known for challenging elite teams.

It will be challenging for the treble-winner to recover from his most recent setback. However, the sooner he recognizes his error as a lesson, the more likely he will be to rectify what was ultimately an ordinary human error in the future.