Saka-cardia: How did a win on penalties impact an England fan’s heart rate?

While England’s five penalty-takers appeared to be remarkably calm in their shootout win against Switzerland, could the same be said for the nation’s supporters watching at home?

Earlier last week, data released by wearable technology company WHOOP illustrated that Cristiano Ronaldo’s heart rate was at its lowest as he stepped up to take a high-pressure penalty for Portugal in the shootout against Slovenia. Ronaldo is a global ambassador and investor in WHOOP and wears the device to monitor his performance, recovery and health.

But how might a supporter’s heart rate respond to the stress of a big quarter-final — one that ended in a penalty shootout?

The Athletic asked writer James McNicholas to strap on a WHOOP band while watching England’s match against Switzerland from his sofa. He shares his findings…

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15 minutes to kick-off: A sharp spike here as my heart rate shoots up to around 115 beats per minute (bpm).

I attribute this to the moment I found out that Gareth Southgate intends to play Kieran Trippier at left wing instead of switching Bukayo Saka to that flank and playing Trent Alexander-Arnold on the right.

3rd minute: My heart rate surges as my toddler presses a button on my remote control, meaning I am now watching a service called ‘Rakuten TV’ instead of the quarter-final. Order is quickly restored, and the remote control is expertly hidden. 

15th minute: Harry Kane appeals for a penalty. This near-flat line illustrates that not even I — a dedicated England fan — believed it for a second.

35th minute: Jude Bellingham’s dainty pirouette briefly sends my heart rate fluttering over 80bpm.

45th minute: My heart rate actually tells the story of the first half in a somewhat elegant fashion. It starts strong with a flash of excitement, with a gradual decline over the next 45 minutes as the reality of England’s performance level gradually sinks in.

You’ll notice that my heart rate is considerably higher during half time, which can be attributed to a) frenetic tea-making, and b) consternation at the television pundits trying to gaslight me into believing England have been significantly improved from previous matches. 

55th minute: The BBC commentary concedes that “This has all got a bit ‘start-stop’ — mainly ‘stop’.” The same can be said for my heart rate, which is now hovering just below 80bpm.

75th minute: Tellingly, the high point of my heart rate during normal time comes for Switzerland’s opener.

There hadn’t been a great deal to get excited about from an England perspective, but Breel Embolo’s goal certainly makes me somewhat agitated. At this point, I am pacing up and down my living room offering some choice ‘tactical advice’ to Gareth Southgate, while my wife seeks to cover my toddler’s innocent ears.

80th minute: Salvation through Saka. What a moment. I can only imagine the only reason my heart rate didn’t hit the roof was because, as an Arsenal fan, I’ve seen him score this exact goal before. 

102nd minute: Signs of stress here. Given that the game is not particularly eventful at this point, we can surmise this is due to the looming threat of penalties. No specific trigger, just latent dread. I attended the Euro 2020 final in person, and still bear the emotional scars.

109th minute: Manuel Akanji nudges Kane off the pitch, into Southgate, and out of the game. Even with the possibility of penalties on the horizon, the substitution feels overdue. I’m prepared to bet that throughout this game my heart rate and exertion levels have been significantly above that of Kane. 

117th minute: The introduction of a familiar face in Xherdan Shaqiri always felt portentous, and the experienced midfielder almost becomes the match-winner when his shot direct from a corner kick cracks against Jordan Pickford’s post.

Penalty shootout begins: It’s penalties. And what a start: ice-cold Cole Palmer steps up to give England the lead — does he even have a pulse? Then Pickford plunges low to keep out Akanji’s tame effort, the Manchester City defender failing to show the same degree of accuracy he demonstrated when launching Kane into the England manager just minutes ago.

Saka pen: Just as Ronaldo managed to control his autonomic nervous system during against Slovenia, I too somehow managed to slow the internal rhythms of my body down as Saka stepped up to take his spot kick.

A combination of breathing techniques and visualisation were employed — both of which managed to prevent me from totally losing my s***.

England win: Trent Alexander-Arnold dispatches the crucial penalty kick, and the nation’s heart rate collectively rises. Mine makes it up to around 130bpm, helped no doubt by me running through the corridors of my apartment building shouting something about Swiss cuckoos having to get back in their clocks because it’s coming home.

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ENGLAND WIN THE PENALTY SHOOTOUT! 🤩#BBCEuros #Euro2024 #ENGSUI pic.twitter.com/06KdlOtLog

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 6, 2024

England haven’t played in a sufficiently exciting fashion to set the pulse racing consistently. But they have delivered the dramatic moments to make most English hearts skip a beat.

(Header photo: Hesham Elsherif/Anadolu via Getty Images. Design: Sean Reilly)