Penalty shootouts in soccer's World Cup create a level of sustained tension that American football cannot replicate, despite the NFL's own dramatic moments.
The World Cup's knockout rounds rely on penalty shootouts to settle ties — a mechanism that produces prolonged, nerve-wracking drama. According to the article, these shootouts occur only in the knockout stage of the tournament and are decided by five penalty kicks per side.
Two round-of-32 games on Monday were decided by shootouts, underscoring the high-stakes nature of this tiebreaker. The author contrasts this with the NFL's lack of a similar system, noting that the NFL has rejected a two-point shootout proposal as too gimmicky for its playoff structure.