Frank on the spot
Frank Lampard loves being put on the sport by England.
The Chelsea midfielder could win his 94th cap for the Three Lions in Wednesday’s clash against Brazil after being named in Roy Hodgson’s latest squad.
Lampard, 34, has converted NINE successful spot-kicks, which easily make him England’s best penalty-taker in history.
Kevin Keegan handed him his debut in a Belgium friendly in 1999 when he was 21, but it was six years before he had his first chance from 12 yards.
England were playing Austria in a World Cup Qualifier at Old Trafford and Austrian defender Scharner grabbed Michael Owen in the box on 25 minutes to set it up.
Lamps fired home and it was enough to win the match and boost England’s prospects of lining up at the 2006 Finals.
His other eight penalties came about like this…
- 2007: Jermain Defoe was held back by the Croatian Simunic as he went for a Joe Cole cross on 56 minutes. Croatia won 3-2 at Wembley in a Euro 2008 Qualifier.
- 2009: Emile Heskey was impeded by Kazakhstan’s Abdulin as he tried to reach a rebound on 77 minutes. England won 4-0 in Almaty in a World Cup Qualifier.
- 2009: Cesar of Slovenia brought down Wayne Rooney and was cautioned on 31 minutes. England won this friendly 2-1 at Wembley.
- 2009: Croatia’s Simunic was involved again, tripping Theo Walcott as he attempted to speed past him on seven minutes. England won 5-1 at Wembley in a World Cup qualifier.
- 2011: Welsh defender Collins tumbled into Ashley Young, again after seven minutes. England won this Euro 2012 Qualifier 2-0 in Cardiff.
- 2011: The Swiss Djourou tripped Jack Wilshere on 37 minutes and was cautioned for complaining about the penalty award. England drew 2-2 in a Euro 2012 Qualifier at Wembley.
- 2012: Tom Cleverley’s shot was handled by Bulgaru of Moldova after just three minutes and it was England’s 100th penalty in history. It set England on their way to a 5-0 win in a World Cup Qualifier in Chisinau.
- 2012: Danny Welbeck’s chip was handled by Ukraine’s Khacheridi three minutes from time and Lampard’s ninth successful kick forced a 1-1 draw in a World Cup Qualifier at Wembley.
But has Lamps ever missed from the spot for England?
Well, yes. He had penalties saved by Hungary’s Gabor Kirali during an Old Trafford friendly in 2006 and by Japan’s Eiji Kawashima in an international in Graz, Austria, in 2010.
