Few players take their first professional penalty at a World Cup — but that is precisely what David Batty faced in 1998. England's gripping last-16 clash against Argentina had gone to a shootout, and it fell to the no-nonsense midfielder to keep his side alive with the fifth kick.

Goalkeeper Carlos Roa saved it. Argentina went through. And Batty, rather than crumpling to the turf or burying his face in his shirt, held his head high.

When he emerged from the dressing room that night, he reportedly seemed puzzled that his friend and agent, Hayden Evans, had come down from the stands to check on him — as though nothing significant had happened at all.

The penalty miss that didn't break him

His composure even extended to a defiant refusal, years later, to appear in a fast food advertisement that sought to make light of the moment. Batty did not want to profit from the heartbreak of fans who had travelled to France. That decision only deepened his cult status among supporters.

Now, as England and Argentina prepare to meet again — this time in the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on 15 July — Batty's story feels more relevant than ever.

A ghost at the reunion dinner

Last December, dozens of phones buzzed around the world. Former teammates Rio Ferdinand, Mark Viduka, Jason Wilcox, and even ex-manager David O'Leary received birthday wishes in their Leeds United WhatsApp group for Batty's 57th birthday. There was just one problem: Batty was not in the group, and nobody had seen him in years.