There are few moments in football that are more nerve-wracking than the penalty. One player, one goalkeeper, 11 meters – and the eyes of the whole world. Some fear the pressure. Others thrive in the spotlight.
Stepping up to the penalty mark, surrounded by cheers and whistling from thousands of spectators, is not for the faint of heart. Over the years, we’ve seen stars shatter under the pressure – but we’ve also seen the chosen ones who make it a routine.
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Now, the list of the 10 players who have scored the most penalties in the 21st century has been revealed – and it offers several surprises.
10. Dušan Tadić – 86 penalties
The former Southampton and Ajax star has scored penalties throughout his career, continuing at the age of 37. A whopping 33 percent of his 258 career goals have come from the penalty spot – the highest percentage on the entire list.
9. Ciro Immobile – 86 penalties
The Italian striker, best known for his fruitful years at Lazio, has found the back of the net 367 times in his career. 23 percent of the goals have come from 11 meters – and despite his age, he shows no signs of stopping.
8. Francesco Totti – 86 penalties
The Roma legend, loved for his incredible loyalty to the club, scored 86 penalties during his career – over a quarter of his total goal tally. 27 percent of Totti’s 572 goals came from the penalty spot, the second-highest percentage on the list.
7. Zlatan Ibrahimović – 87 penalties
Known for his unstoppable confidence, Zlatan always followed up his words with action. 87 penalties distributed between clubs such as AC Milan, Manchester United and Barcelona. 15 percent of the Swede’s 572 goals came from the penalty spot – but with Zlatan, it was always more than just the numbers.
6. Robert Lewandowski – 89 penalties
The Pole’s target production has aged like a fine wine. With 718 career goals, penalties account for just 12 percent of the total – a frightening number that shows just how versatile he is. Imagine how many more he could have scored if he had taken even more penalties…
5. Neymar – 93 penalties
The Brazilian has scored 93 penalties during his career, divided between Santos, Barcelona, PSG and the Brazilian national team. 20 percent of his 456 goals have come from 11 yards – but with stars like Messi and Mbappé in the team, he could perhaps have taken even more.
4. Harry Kane – 108 penalties
England’s and Tottenham’s all-time leading scorer, now at Bayern Munich, is no stranger to the penalty shootout. 20 percent of Kane’s 537 goals are penalties. Despite the goal celebration, the trophies have not been achieved – but at Bayern he has already broken that curse.
3. Lionel Messi – 116 penalties
The greatest of all time? At least one of the most prolific of all time from the penalty spot. 116 penalties for Barcelona, PSG, Inter Miami and Argentina. But the penalties account for only 13 percent of his total of 917 goals – which says everything about his incredible versatility.
2. Hulk – 120 Penalties
Four penalties in front of Messi – a surprise to many. The Brazilian power forward never reached the five major European leagues, but nevertheless scored 455 goals in his career. As many as 26 percent of them came from the penalty mark. Impressive – but pales in comparison to number one.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo – 183 penalties
Of course. The top scorer in football history leads by a huge gap. 183 penalties – a whopping 67 more than number two. With a total of 976 career goals, penalties account for 19 percent of his total goal catch.
Some critics claim Ronaldo has “lived” on penalties – but when you’ve scored almost 1000 goals, it doesn’t matter how they come. Ironically, he also has the most missed penalties since 2001 – but with so many attempts, it’s almost inevitable.
One thing is certain: Scoring from 11 meters requires ice in the blood. And these 10 players have shown that they have exactly that – time and time again.
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