England is terrible at penalties. It's an indisputable fact, from Gazza's tearsAccording to football legend, the penalty curse began at the 1990 World Cup. The talented midfielder Paul Gascoigne ("Gazza") was devastated after receiving a yellow card. His emotional response convinced the coach to keep him on the bench in the penalty shootout. West Germany won 4-3. and Southgate's humiliationIn 1996, England faced Germany again in the Euros semi-final. Gareth Southgate's missed penalty sent England out and made him the focus of the nation's disappointment. to three agonising defeats in quarter-finals from the penalty spot. A curse hangs over English football.

Except it doesn't. A new study from the University of Cologne in Germany looked at 700 penalties in international games and 5,000 in the top European leagues. Their conclusion: English players score the most penalties. More than world champions France, Spain, Brazil, and Germany.

Where England does perform below average is in the high-pressure penalty shootouts. But even here, the researchers say the results are statistically.

So, why do we expect the worst when an England player strides up to the penalty spot? Scientists put it down to negativity biasAlso called the 'bad is stronger than good' effect. We have stronger emotional responses to bad events, criticism, and pain than we do to happy events, praise, and pleasure.. Humans are hardwired to be negative, remember painful memories, and expect bad news.

It's in our genes, says Dutch historian Rutger BregmanHis new book, Humankind, argues our negativity gives us a very unrealistic and despairing view of humanity.. "Back in our hunting and gathering days, we were better off being frightened of a spider or a snake a hundred times too often than one time too few. Too much fear wouldn't kill you; too little surely would."

But all that negativity can be self-fulfillingThis works in two ways. Negativity affects our performance, but it also makes it harder to notice when good things happen. Psychologists call this confirmation bias.. The German researchers speculate that the media pressure heaped on England's players gets into their heads. With all those nerves, they panic and hit the ball over the crossbar.

Off the pitch, psychologists warn that cognitive biasThoughts and beliefs that are not supported by evidence and facts. affects our mental health. Therapies include challenging negative assumptions with facts and positive counter-arguments. Yoga, meditation, and mindfulnessA recent study of 160 professional footballers in Iran showed that this form of meditation reduced their risk of injury. are all recommended to take a step back from negativity and lift your mood.

At the 2018 World Cup, manager Gareth Southgate made the England team practise yoga, ride inflatable unicorns, and think positively. The result? They won their penalty-shootout against Colombia and finished fourth place. The curse is no more.

No, say some. It's all part of the beautiful game. Football (and life) is about drama. The highs and the lows, and the exhilarating feeling of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. Life would be dull if we were always positive. Besides, by focusing on our weaknesses, we strive to improve and be better.

Others say, yes. That prehistoric brain, full of fear and worry, was useful when we lived in caves. But in the modern world, it stops us from being successful. Whether we are sitting an exam, writing an essay, or taking a penalty, we need to be able to think clearly. Instead of seeing the facts, our decisions are clouded by emotion.