Penalty kicks are the best. Penalty kicks are the worst. Both statements are true, but it almost entirely depends on which side of the decision you’re on. Even if your team has the penalty, it can be agony to watch, the anticipation enveloping you like a thick fog as the expectation of a goal, but fear of the taker missing seeps right through to any football fan’s bones.
It is the single most oxymoronic feature of any sport, with every penalty tragedy for thousands and joy mixed with nervousness for another host of fans. Some of football’s biggest celebrations, and greatest moments have come from the pits of despair, with match-winning penalties given, only to be heroically saved.
As much as we expect a penalty to result in a ripple of the net, there are thousands of stories of heroic goalkeepers and horrific bottle jobs. Take the classic Watford Vs Leicester playoff semi-final, the words “Almunia saves… Almunia Saves again!” etched into every Watford and Leicester fan’s mind, evoking vastly contrasting emotions.
Or more recently, With promotion to the Football League on the line, Ben Foster’s last-minute penalty save against Notts County all but secured promotion for Wrexham, after the former Man United keeper had been lured out of retirement as an emergency signing. Every season, somewhere around the world, a team’s season is defined by a crucial penalty.
So imagine, if you had a penalty taker who you could always rely upon for the big moments. Someone who you knew was going to score before they kicked it, player keepers feared. Imagine how different football history could be if every team had a penalty maestro.
Sadly there’s no way for every team to have one, and a player that can remain calm and collected under pressure is rarer than you think. Most good professional footballers possess the ability to convert a penalty more times than not, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a regular top-flight penalty taker with a conversion rate lower than 70%, but some players are simply different gravy when it comes to the spot.
The following ice-cold customers are football history’s greatest-ever penalty takers, with unmatched records and a strike that even the likes of Oliver Kahn would fear.
Stepping up to the spot, nerves running high, it’s much harder than it looks. So the following players’ talent from 12 yards is not to be dismissed. There are of course many all-time greats that boast fantastic penalty records, so I’ve gone for a selection of players to convert over 90% with at least 40 penalties taken.
Graham Alexander
Throughout his career, Alexander represented several clubs, including Scunthorpe United, Luton Town, Preston North End, Burnley, and Fleetwood Town. At each club, he earned the admiration of fans and teammates alike for his professionalism, work ethic, and leadership qualities.
Alexander’s contributions extended beyond the club level. He represented the Scottish national team, qualifying to play for Scotland through his paternal grandparents. He made his debut in 2002 and went on to earn 40 caps, showcasing his defensive prowess and commitment to the national team.
Primarily known for his defensive prowess, Alexander showcased his skills as a reliable full-back and an exceptional penalty taker throughout his illustrious career.
He gained a reputation as a prolific penalty taker, displaying nerves of steel and exceptional composure under pressure. His penalty-taking ability proved invaluable throughout his career, contributing crucial goals and securing victories for his teams.
Matt Le Tissier
No surprises with this entry. The Premier leagues penalty king, Le Tissier only ever missed one penalty in his entire career. Whilst the former Southampton player was known for his flair, creativity, and technical brilliance, Le Tissier possessed a unique knack for penalties. Whether it was his flawless technique when striking the ball, or his lassez-faire attitude to football that allowed him to remain so composed, Le Tissier was almost unbeatable from the spot.
He spent his entire career at Southampton, where he notched up 443 appearances for the club. He was regarded as a lazy player, with a penchant for the audacious, but his incredible flair and ability made his lack of willingness to run worth it.
He scored 47 out of 48 penalties, which is nothing short of remarkable. The only keeper to ever best him from the spot was Nottingham Forest’s Mark Crossley, who denied him a perfect record, forcing him to a miserly percentage of 98%. His penalty-taking technique, combined with his ability to read goalkeepers, made him a truly feared opponent from the spot.
Rickie Lambert
One of the most reliable penalty-takers of his generation.
What made Lambert’s penalties particularly effective was his ability to strike the ball with precision and power. He possessed a natural technique that allowed him to consistently find the back of the net. His spot-kicks were often characterized by their accuracy, either rifling into the corners or placed beyond the reach of even the most agile goalkeepers.
Lambert’s success as a penalty taker extended beyond his club career. He was also entrusted with penalty duties during his time representing the England national team. In fact, he marked his international debut with a goal from the spot against Scotland in 2013, showcasing his proficiency on the grandest stage.
Cuauhtémoc Blanco
Known for his sublime skills and flair, Blanco was not only a masterful dribbler and playmaker but also a formidable penalty taker. Made most famous by his iconic his iconic “Cuauhtemiña,”, a move he debuted in the 1998 South Korean World cup, in which he trapped the ball between both feet and “bunny hopped” over two defenders challenges at once, Cuauhtémoc Blanco was feared by defenders and keepers alike.
Even more impressive than his skills, was his fearsome penalty record, boasting a return of 71 goals from 73 penalties, giving him a 97.26% success rate from the spot. Blanco’s penalty-taking prowess was not limited to domestic competitions either.
He represented the Mexican national team in numerous international tournaments, including three separate World Cups and it could have been 4 but he was left out of the 2006 World Cup squad, despite making it into the 2010 squad and scoring a penalty against France. In fact, Blanco became the first Mexican player to score penalties in two different World Cups, achieving this feat in both the 1998 and 2010 editions of the tournament.
Honourable mentions
Rogerio Ceni
While not quite possessing a record earning him a place on this list purely on merit, his 69 career penalty goals earn him a special mention on the list, considering the fact that Ceni was more suited to face penalties than score them. Yes, that’s right, the Sau Paulo legend has scored 69 penalties, and more impressive still, scored 61 free-kicks.
Stuart Gauld
Who? I can understand if you haven’t heard of the former Derry City Right-Back, but Gauld holds the world record for the most consecutive penalties converted in a row, even being recognised in the Guinness Book of World Records. Between the 1980s and 90’s, Gauld converted 24 penalties in arow, earning himself a place in footballing folklore. Sadly there is no data on his actual overall conversion rate, so as far as I know, he could have missed just as many.
The Penalty G.O.A.T
Ledio Pano
The greatest penalty-taker of all time, Pano never missed! He converted 50 from 50 playing in Albania and greek leagues and will likely forever go down in history as football’s greatest penalty-taker.
The son of Panajot Pano, who is widely regarded as one of the best footballers in the history of Albanian football, Pano failed to have as much of an impact on the international stage as his father, but will forever be remembered for his incredible composure, accuracy, and mentality.
I imagine after the 10th penalty he’d converted in a row, there would have slowly been more and more pressure building with each socred penalty as his streak got higher and higher. Many would crack, and many have, as is the case with all of the other examples in this article, but Pano stayed strong and never let his streak get on top of him. He simply knew he’d score, and never paid any attention to the keeper.
“I never looked the keeper in the eye. I always just knew where I was going to put the ball,” Pano once told UEFA.
Penalty-taking requires a unique blend of skill, technique, mental strength, and composure under pressure.
They may not be some of the big names you might have expected, but this group of players truly mastered the craft of converting from the spot.
Their ability to convert penalties consistently and deliver in crucial moments is a testament to their exceptional mentality and technique.
