Penalty kicks are always fun to watch from the screen but the reverse is the case for the player who has to bring it home, therefore, making a heroic moment.
The player is faced with conflicting and overwhelming pressure from their mind and their fans all over the world to bring it to the finish.
Over the years, football has gone down history as a “people’s sport”. It is loved and watched by millions all over the world. It gets more interesting and intense especially when it is that deciding moment of victory for clubs playing against each other.
This has in turn given rise to some best penalty-takers of all time and simultaneously brought out the best in these players.
- Who Is The Best Penalty Taker Of All Time?
- Alan Shearer
- Frank Lampard
- Steven Gerrard
- Matthew Le Tissier
- Jorge Luiz Frello (Jorginho)
- Alessandro Del Piero
- Marco Van Basten
- Michel Platini
- Zinedine Zidane
- Cristiano Ronaldo
- How is a penalty kick awarded and taken in soccer?
- Can a penalty kick be saved or blocked by the goalkeeper?
- Can a player be shown a red card or receive a suspension for committing a penalty in soccer?
- Can a penalty be awarded to the opposing team if a player deliberately handles the ball (i.e., handball) in the penalty area?
- How many penalties have there been at the World Cup 2022?
- Who is the best penalty player in the world?
- Who never missed a penalty?
- Who has saved the most penalties in soccer?
Who Is The Best Penalty Taker Of All Time?
Penalty kicks are undoubtedly the most nerve-racking aspect of any football game, and we’ve compiled a list of the 10 top penalty-takers of all time.
Alan Shearer
Total penalties scored: 56
Conversion Rate: 83%
Alan Shearer is regarded as one of the best penalty-takers of all time and holds the record as the first greatest player to ever score 100 Premier league goals. In addition, the former Newcastle United player (retired 2006) is still widely regarded as the greatest striker who scored goals from long distances with 260 record goals to his name.
Shearer has a total penalty score of 56 out of 62 giving him a conversion rate of 83%, making him the first out of the list of other players to ever score penalties in the history of competitions.
Frank Lampard
Total penalties scored: 43
Conversion Rate: 86%
Lampard, Chelsea’s greatest midfielder and right-foot scorer, is inarguably among the best goal scorers regarding penalty kicks. He won the penalty shot in the Champions League against Liverpool assisting Chelsea to win its first European Cup shortly after his mother, Pat passed away. Now that is something!
He has scored a total of 43 penalty shots out of 50 building him a conversion rate of 86%.
READ ALSO | 10 Of The Best Goalkeepers With The Most Penalty Saves
Steven Gerrard
Total penalties scored: 32
Conversion Rate: 92%
Although during his time in England, Gerrard did not prevail in the Premier League, he was able to win other cup competitions (three League Cups, a UEFA, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and FA Community Shield Cup, and two FA Cups)
Steven Gerrard played and scored 121 goals out of 504 matches with a total penalty score of 32 and a conversion rate of 92%.
Matthew Le Tissier
Total penalties scored: 49
Conversion Rate: 95%
When asked on BBC Sport if he has any strategy for scoring penalty kicks, he replies with:
“I believed that when I stepped up to take them, I was going to score. It was an easy chance for a goal. Being a goalscorer and loving hitting the back of the net, I just didn’t want to waste that opportunity.”
From this, it is evident that Tissier believes in luck and chances but more strongly in making them work in his favor – winning by smashing the ball into the net.
Although, he got his record stained forever by Mark Crossley at The Dell when he missed a kick once. Sadly, this record will remain in the history of football.
With a penalty goal of 49 and an impressive conversion rate of 96%, Matthew Le Tissier (sometimes called “Le God”) is easily the best penalty taker of all time in the history of the Premier League.
Jorge Luiz Frello (Jorginho)
Total penalties scored: 41
Conversion Rate: 94%
Otherwise known as Jorginho is a Brazilian/Italian player who is accurate and reliable when it comes to penalty shots.
The Chelsea midfielder who rarely misses is smart about his move that tricks the goalkeeper into going the opposite direction leaving the net free for him to pass the ball into the net.
Although he has missed some penalties like in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, he is one of the best penalty-takers of all time. He has nested a total of 41 penalties during his football career with a conversion rate of 94%.
Alessandro Del Piero
Total penalties scored: 14
Conversion Rate: 94%
Alessandro, the dead-ball specialist, and former Juventus striker is well known for his calm kicks and for scoring the Italian 2006 World Cup Final against France. He makes scoring looks so easy as he is never pressurized when making his shot into the back of the net.
Alessandro Del Piero, the Italian specialist who recently moved to Sydney FC has scored 14 penalties in this football career and has a conversion rate of 94%.
READ ALSO| 10 Best False 9 Of All Time
Marco Van Basten
Total penalties scored: 53
Conversion Rate: 94%
The Netherlands striker, AC Milan, and Ajax player won the Ballon d’Or award three times in the following years (1988, 1989, and 1992). Along with scoring many goals, he was named FIFA World Player of the Year.
He will also go down in records of football history as the player who brought victory to the Netherlands at Euro 1988 by bringing them their single international trophy.
Marco Van Basten has a total of 53 scored penalties out of 57 with a conversion rate of 94% during his football career. His rollercoaster of success was set back by knee injuries forcing him to retire at the age of 28.
Michel Platini
Total penalties scored: 26
Conversion Rate:
Michel, a France player, knows his way around the net and finds the right spot to win a penalty kick. He helped his country with the 1984 European Champions and won three Ballon d’Or awards when he played for Juventus.
Due to a scandal, he was dismissed as UEFA President leading to fans turning against him but it is without saying that he is one of the best penalty-takers out there.
The three-time Ballon d’Or winner has scored 26 penalties and has never missed any. He accumulates a conversion rate of
Zinedine Zidane
Total penalties scored: 11
Conversion Rate:94%
Zidane is well known for his penalty shots just off the crossbar and is one of the brave penalty takers of all time in the history of football. The Frenchman is reliable when it comes to nesting penalties. He is famous for bringing victory to France in the 2006 World Cup Final.
In his football career, he has nested 11 penalties with a conversion rate of 94%.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Total penalties scored: 146
Conversion Rate: 83%
Talk about saving the best for last! No doubt, Ronaldo ranks as the best penalty-taker of all time in the world right now. The record breaker is known for his skills and for bringing the job to a finish.
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored a total of 146 penalties, although, with 28 misses, he still has a conversion rate of 83% which is lesser than other players out there.
Table of the 10 best penalty takers of all time:
| S/N | Name of Players | Penalty Scored | Country |
| 1 | Alan Shearer | 56 | England |
| 2 | Frank Lampard | 43 | England |
| 3 | Steven Gerrard | 32 | England |
| 4 | Matthew Le Tissier | 49 | England |
| 5 | Jorginho | 41 | Italy |
| 6 | Alessandro Del Piero | 14 | Italy |
| 7 | Marco Van Basten | 53 | Dutch |
| 8 | Michel Platini | 26 | France |
| 9 | Zinedine Zidane | 11 | France |
| 10 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 146 | Portugal |
How is a penalty kick awarded and taken in soccer?
A penalty kick is a sort of kick that is awarded to a team after an opposition player fouls within their own penalty area. The penalty spot is a specified zone 12 yards (11 meters) from the goal line. The penalty area is the sizable rectangle marked on the pitch surrounding the goal.
To take a penalty kick, the ball is placed on the penalty spot, and the kicker steps up to the ball. Until the kick is made, the other players must be outside the penalty area and at least 10 yards (9 meters) away from the ball.
Until the ball is struck, the goalie must be positioned on the goal line between the goalposts.
The kicker has the option of either passing the ball to a teammate or just kick it past the goalkeeper into the net to score a goal. If the kicker chooses to pass the ball to a teammate, the teammate can then try to score a goal by kicking the ball into the net.
In the event that the penalty kick is successful and the ball enters the net, the team is given a goal. If the ball is saved by the goalie or misses the goal, the other team is awarded a goal kick, which is a kick taken from the goal line that is used to restart play.
Can a penalty kick be saved or blocked by the goalkeeper?
Yes, a penalty kick can be saved or blocked by the goalkeeper.
It is the goalkeeper’s responsibility to try to stop the goal by stopping or blocking the shot, as they are the only players permitted to use their hands inside the penalty area.
The goalkeeper must position himself properly and anticipate the direction and force of the shot in order to save or stop a penalty kick. They could also make an effort to distract the shooter’s focus or employ psychological tricks to deceive them.
Can a player be shown a red card or receive a suspension for committing a penalty in soccer?
Yes, a player can be shown a red card or suspended in soccer for committing a penalty. A player who commits a major violation in soccer, such as violent behavior, serious foul play, or using offensive language, would receive a red card as punishment from the referee.
A player who receives a red card is immediately removed from the game and is not allowed to return for the rest of the contest.
A player who receives a red card may also be subject to other sanctions, such as suspension. The governing body of the league or tournament in which the game was played may decide the length of the suspension, which will depend on how serious the offense was.
For instance, a player who is sent off for violent behavior can face a longer ban than a player who is sent out for a less serious offense.
Can a penalty be awarded to the opposing team if a player deliberately handles the ball (i.e., handball) in the penalty area?
Yes, a penalty can be awarded to the opposing team if a player deliberately handles the ball.
According to the Laws of the Game, a penalty kick is awarded if a player commits a direct free-kick offense (such as a handball) inside their own penalty area.
This means that if a player deliberately handles the ball (i.e., handballs) inside their own penalty area, the opposing team is awarded a penalty kick.
FAQs
How many penalties have there been at the World Cup 2022?
In total, there have been 19 penalties awarded at the World Cup so far.
Who is the best penalty player in the world?
The best penalty player in the world right now is Cristiano Ronaldo with a total score of 144.
Who never missed a penalty?
Leedio Pano
With over 50+ scores, Leedio Pano is among the players who never missed penalty shots in the history of football.
Who is the penalty Miss King?
Cristiano Ronaldo.
The record breaker and best penalty player is also the penalty Miss King with a total of 27 missed penalty kicks out of 162 trials.
Who has saved the most penalties in soccer?
Gianluigi Buffon
Buffon is a retired Italian goalkeeper who is widely considered one of the greatest of all time. He has saved a number of penalties throughout his career, including several in high-pressure situations in major tournaments.
