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Foden addresses claims he avoided taking a penalty in the shootout during the QF

  /  autty

Phil Foden has responded to claims that he didn't want to take a penalty during England's shootout victory against Switzerland at Euro 2024.

England scored all of their spot-kicks as they won 5-3 on penalties to secure their place in the semi-finals.

Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Ivan Toney were all successful from the spot before Trent Alexander-Arnold scored the decisive penalty.

After the game Alexander-Arnold was heard telling his family that one England star didn't want to take a penalty.

Alexander-Arnold could be heard saying: 'He didn't want to take one.'

That sparked speculation that Foden, who was replaced by Alexander-Arnold with five minutes of extra-time remaining, didn't want to take a penalty.

However, Foden insisted that he would have taken a penalty if he was still on the pitch.

Foden told talkSPORT: ‘I would have taken one if I was still on the pitch but I think there’s players who take them regularly for their clubs so it makes sense for them to take them.

‘I think that’s what Gareth did, put the best penalty-takers on the pitch. I’m glad he did that now because it definitely worked in our favour.

'I feel like it’s a confidence thing, if you believe you’re going to score you can definitely be a penalty-taker.

‘Like I said, I wouldn’t have minded taking one if I was still on the pitch but there’s probably better penalty-takers than me.’

Foden scored a penalty in the shootout as Manchester City lost to Real Madrid on penalties in the quarter-finals of the Champions League last season.

The 24-year-old has started all five of England's matches at Euro 2024 so far but has yet to find the net.