In football, penalties are not only an important scoring opportunity but also a psychological and technical challenge for players. To become an excellent penalty taker, it is necessary not only to have strength and accuracy but also to be calm in stressful moments. So, who is the penalty king in football? Let's explore with Wintips the players with the most impressive penalty skills and conversion rates through the article below!
Who is the penalty king in football?
10. Paulo Dybala (Juventus)
Who is the king of penalty in football? Since Cristiano Ronaldo joined Juventus, he has taken over the penalty-taking duties that were previously held by Paulo Dybala. Both are safe and reliable penalty takers for the Bianconeri, giving the team peace of mind in decisive situations. However, despite Ronaldo's presence, Dybala continues to show his class every time he faces a penalty.
Dybala often applies a rather unique style of free kicks, starting slowly and then suddenly accelerating, thereby deceiving the opposing goalkeeper. This helps him create surprising and effective finishing moves. To date, Dybala has taken 26 penalties for Juventus and scored 22 goals, missing only 4. His success rate in penalty situations remains very high, proving Dybala's calmness and technique in tense moments.
9. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
Harry Kane is one of the best penalty taker in the world, and has been one of the top strikers in Europe for many years. With perfect technique and confidence, Kane is always reliable on the 11m mark. Whether playing for Tottenham or the England national team, he is always the number one choice when taking penalties and rarely disappoints fans.
Kane's penalty shooting style is very diverse and unpredictable. He has the ability to fool the goalkeeper with smart shots, or even when the opponent guesses the direction correctly, it is still very difficult to save because Kane often takes the ball into dangerous angles with strong kicking force. In his career, the England captain has taken a total of 44 penalties, of which 37 were successful. Kane's high success rate not only shows his composure and accuracy but also affirms his class as one of the greatest strikers in world football today.
8. Luka Milivojevic (Crystal Palace)
Crystal Palace have always been a formidable team when it comes to winning penalties thanks to their fast attacking players, especially Wilfried Zaha. However, what makes opponents even more wary is Luka Milivojevic's excellence at the 11m mark. The Serbian midfielder not only brings stability in midfield but is also famous for his ability to take penalties coolly and accurately. When facing Palace, teams often have to be careful to avoid fouls in the penalty area, because when Milivojevic is standing in front of the penalty spot, the chance of saving is almost zero.
Since joining Crystal Palace, Milivojevic has converted 21 of his 24 penalties, missing just two, the last of which came in October 2018. With a conversion rate of 9/10, he is one of the best penalty takers in world football. His powerful finishing and composure have allowed Milivojevic to put the ball in difficult positions. This achievement not only shows his reliability in decisive situations but also highlights his importance to the Palace squad. In today's football world, not many players can achieve such a high success rate, affirming Milivojevic's class and special position on the 11m mark.
7. Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)
Sergio Ramos, captain of Real Madrid, is one of the best players in the world when it comes to taking penalties. With his crafty style of play, Ramos has brought that to his penalty kicks. After Cristiano Ronaldo left, Ramos took over the penalty kick duties and performed brilliantly, contributing significantly to Real Madrid. This season, he has scored 11 goals in La Liga, 6 of which have come from the 11-meter mark.
When taking penalties, Ramos often runs very slowly, combined with stopping to watch the goalkeeper move before shooting into the opposite corner. His confidence and composure have helped him score 19 consecutive penalties, since his last miss in May 2018. Since the beginning of his career, Ramos has successfully converted 26 out of 29 penalties, affirming his position as one of the most reliable penalty specialists in world football.
6. James Milner (Liverpool)
James Milner is the world best penalty takers, reflecting his calm and assured style of play. Without any unnecessary movement or gimmicks, the Liverpool midfielder simply runs straight at the ball and accelerates with power. This simple yet effective finishing style has made Milner one of the world's leading tornado specialists.
With his technical preparation and ability to deliver the ball to the "dead zone" of the goal, Milner makes it difficult for goalkeepers, even if they expect it to be on target, to stop him. In his career, he has scored 30 goals from 35 penalties, the last of which came in November 2018 in the Champions League. This record does not indicate consistency but also confirms Milner's level in the dark.
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5. Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
Bruno Fernandes is a powerful whirlwind with a special style of "skipping" very effectively. When standing in front of the 11m mark, the Portuguese midfielder does not focus on the spin angle but observes the goalkeeper's movement. If he notices that the goalkeeper tends to turn in one direction, Fernandes will move in the opposite direction, ensuring the highest accuracy.
Since joining Manchester United, Fernandes has not only helped the team improve in terms of achievements but also made his personal mark with his impeccable penalty-taking ability. To date, Fernandes has taken 28 penalties in his career and only failed twice, the most recent being in October 2018. This shows his calmness and superior technique in decisive matters.
4. Jorginho (Chelsea)
Jorginho was a controversial name when he joined Chelsea as a caretaker under coach Maurizio Sarri. At a time when Sarri's playing style was heavily criticized, Jorginho also had to endure a lot of pressure from the public. However, the midfielder quickly proved his worth with his independent defensive style, becoming a member of the best defenders in the Premier League. Not only that, Jorginho's disposal skills also left a special mark, especially with his mischievous "hopping" style.
In his club career, Jorginho has taken 21 penalties and only failed once. Don't miss the match in the 2017-18 season when he was still playing for Napoli. Jorginho's unique whirlwind style always makes it difficult for goalkeepers to predict, helping him achieve a near-perfect success rate on the 11m mark.
3. Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Robert Lewandowski is one of the best penalty takers of all time, possessing all the qualities of a great athlete. At nearly 32 years old, he still maintains an impressive form when continuously scoring goals for Bayern Munich. In the 2019-20 season, Lewandowski continued to prove his class when winning the Bundesliga "Golden Boot" with 34 goals, including 5 goals from the penalty spot, helping Bayern dominate German football.
With excellent shooting skills, Lewandowski always knows how to put the ball into dangerous and powerful angles, making it almost impossible for goalkeepers to block. He has successfully executed 51 out of 56 penalties, an incredible rate, proving the Polish striker's calmness and accuracy every time he faces the 11m mark.
2. Ryad Boudebouz (Saint-Etienne)
Ryad Boudebouz may not be a familiar name to many, but the Saint-Etienne midfielder possesses excellent penalty-taking skills. Boudebouz stands out with his short run-up and gentle finishing style, but is extremely effective in deceiving opposing goalkeepers. His calm demeanor and ability to read situations help him take 11m kicks with incredible accuracy.
In his club career, Boudebouz has only missed a penalty once, and that was in the 2012-13 season. To date, he has successfully converted 23 out of 24 penalties, a near-perfect ratio, demonstrating the formidable ability of a specialist on the 11m mark.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the best penalty takers. With an impressive penalty conversion rate, the Portuguese superstar has scored 126 goals from 11m kicks, a number that surpasses any player in the modern football era. His cool finishing skills and steely spirit have helped Ronaldo turn penalties into unmissable opportunities, creating an impressive record and affirming his class.
In the early stages of his career at Manchester United, Ronaldo often used a technical free kick style, combining touches to trick the goalkeeper into moving first. However, over time, he switched to a more direct style of shooting, using power and precision to put the ball in difficult positions to block. Although he has missed 24 penalties in his career, Ronaldo's 126 goals are still 2.5 times more than Robert Lewandowski, proving that he is a master at taking advantage of free kick situations from the 11m mark.
In Summary
Although there are many players who are excellent at taking penalties, only a few of them are truly worthy of the title of "penalty king" in football. With outstanding skills and impressive success rates, these players not only help their teams win in decisive situations but also affirm their class on the field. So who is the penalty king in football? The answer will depend on each person's assessment, but certainly, names like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi or Harry Kane are always strong candidates for this title.
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