Harry Kane
February 2026
Kane scored twice to reach 500 senior goals for club and country. His season output is framed as elite form heading toward the World Cup. One goal came from the penalty spot after Karl was fouled and VAR upheld the decision. The piece also states Kane has scored 41 in 35 this season across competitions and remains perfect on Bundesliga penalties since joining Bayern, converting all 23 attempts.
Maurizio Mariani
October 2025
Designator Gianluca Rocchi “stopped” referee Mariani and assistant Bindoni following a delayed flag that precipitated a soft Napoli penalty, plus a missed Inter handball. The procedural “short circuit” and “too serious errors” could see Mariani demoted. Kevin De Bruyne converted the contentious spot-kick as Napoli regained top spot in a fiery title-race fixture.
Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
October 2025
Amorim confirmed Fernandes remains first-choice from the spot despite two recent league misses. The captain’s long-term record—62/70 career pens (88.6%), 39/45 for United (86.6%)—underpins the decision ahead of a high-stakes trip to Liverpool. Misses versus Fulham and Brentford triggered scrutiny, but staff prioritise historical conversion and leadership stability. Amorim framed the call as evidence-led and consistent with United’s seniority structure while seeking performance reset in a difficult early-season run.
