Luke Shaw shows true colors as Man Utd defender’s reaction spotted with England

Manchester United’s Luke Shaw showcased an impressive act of sportsmanship, opting not to join his team in their penalty shoot-out victory celebrations over Switzerland.

The defender, who was introduced as a second-half substitute, immediately went over to the Swiss players to offer handshakes after his side’s thrilling win. Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Ivan Toney and Trent Alexander-Arnold all successfully netted their penalties, following Jordan Pickford’s save from Manuel Akanji’s initial attempt for Switzerland.

While the majority of the England squad rushed to join Alexander-Arnold in his sprint towards the Three Lions fans, Shaw displayed his respect for Granit Xhaka and his teammates by consoling them. The Swiss players were clearly emotional, shedding tears as they were eliminated from the competition.

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However, Shaw stood out as the only player who refrained from celebrating, choosing instead to shake hands with as many Swiss players as he could reach. The former Southampton man was brought into the game at the 78-minute mark, shortly after Breel Embolo had put tapped Switzerland ahead after John Stones failed to clear his lines.

The match then took a dramatic turn as Saka levelled the score with a precise strike from just outside the box, sending the game into extra-time. England’s skipper Harry Kane had to leave the pitch shortly after due to a thigh injury sustained in a collision with the advertising boards.

Without the Bayern Munich forward leading the charge in the shoot-out, Brentford’s Ivan Toney stepped up to the spot with remarkable composure, confidently dispatching a penalty without so much as a glance at the ball. Alexander-Arnold then wrapped up the win with the final penalty of the shootout.

Reflecting on the tension-filled moment in a post-match interview, Alexander-Arnold said: “It is what we have practiced. When the gaffer said I was taking one, I enjoy it and I practice it – I knew I had to just execute it. All five penalties from us were great.”

The Liverpool star then went on to praise the team’s resilience, where he added: “Incredible, these are the goals that we set for ourselves. Difficult opponent going behind and the team showed a lot of character, belief, heart and spirit out there. We knew it was going to be tight. Whatever it takes and no matter what we win – that is all that matters to us.”