Manchester United and Hull City contested football's first official penalty shootout in August 1970. The match took place during a semi-final of the Watney Cup, a pre-season competition, according to Manchester United. Previously, referees used a coin toss to decide results in drawn matches. International football also used the drawing of lots for fixtures that remained level after extra time.
Manchester United won the historic shootout 4-3 following a 1-1 draw at Boothferry Park. George Best became the first player to score in a professional shootout, per the Manchester Evening News. Denis Law then became the first player to have a penalty saved in this format. Despite his miss, United progressed to the final.
World governing body FIFA officially adopted the system in 1970 after a proposal from the Israeli Football Association, according to Reuters. The first international tournament to use the method was the 1976 European Championship. Penalties remain the standard method for resolving tied knockout fixtures in modern football competitions.
