What it’s REALLY like to face an Ivan Toney penalty: Ex-England goalkeeper Ben Foster explains how the Brentford star ‘makes you look like an absolute fool’
- Listen to It’s all about to begin! EUROS DAILY: Gareth Southgate has become a bit cocky… and the mask has fallen
- Ivan Toney confidently converted England’s fourth penalty against Switzerland
- The Brentford striker has an excellent career penalty record
Former England international Ben Foster tells what it’s like to concede a penalty from Ivan Toney.
The Brentford striker showed no sign of nerves as he launched his incredible 11-metre international record in England’s penalty shootout win over Switzerland on Saturday.
Toney was one of five successful players for the Three Lions, including the famous two-step run-up, where he only looked at the keeper.
Foster, who failed to stop Toney from the penalty spot as Watford’s goalkeeper in 2020, revealed that the 28-year-old gave a penalty.
“He makes you look like a complete idiot,” Foster said in the Podcast about football content‘When you stand there and you look at him, and he looks at you, and he runs to the ball.
Former England star Ben Foster has revealed what it’s like to concede a penalty from Ivan Toney
Toney confidently converted his penalty for England in the shoot-out win over Switzerland
The England striker did the same to Foster during a Championship match between Brentford and Watford in December 2020
‘And you’re like, “Do you know what you’re doing here?” And then he waits so long until the point where you have to make a decision. You have to.
“But he still waits for you and he just rolls it into the far corner. To have the confidence to be able to do that.
‘He took a penalty for England [against Belgium] and you just know he’s going to score. I had so much confidence in him – exactly the same technique and rolls it into the corner.’
Foster continued: ‘He doesn’t even look at the ball. He’s so aware of his body and where the ball is that he can just look at the keeper and he just looks at the keeper.
“He waits until he makes that one little sidestep and then he’s in the other corner. He’s almost beyond saving.”
Toney has an incredible 93 percent success rate from the penalty spot in regular time, converting 28 of his 30 attempts in his career. The only two goalkeepers who have been able to stop him are Adam Davis and Nick Pope.
After the win over the Swiss, Toney told reporters about his decision to focus on Sommer instead of the ball: ‘I just do what I always do… I step up and roll the ball into the net.
Toney denied feeling any pressure as he helped England reach the semi-finals of Euro 2024
“I never look at the ball. People might think it’s strange, but it’s my routine.”
The 28-year-old denied feeling any pressure and certainly didn’t appear nervous as fans praised his composure.
“Toney is the coolest man on the planet. Bro is a badass,” wrote one X user.
Toney is regarded as one of the best penalty takers in the Premier League, so it was no surprise when he was brought on in extra time to take a penalty.
England return to action on Wednesday when they take on the Netherlands in the semi-finals. On Saturday night, Ronald Koeman’s team came from behind to beat Turkey 2-1.