Which players have scored the most penalty goals in football history?
Penalties are pressure situations for the taker, requiring both mental strength and technique to handle the expectation of delivering from the spot. We’ve looked at the five players who have kept their cool most often.
Ranking the five players with most penalty goals in football history.
5. Roberto Baggio – 100
Roberto Baggio is regarded as one of Italy’s all-time greats after a decorated career, with the forward one of world football’s finest during the early nineties.
Baggio was a captivating talent full of poise and balletic footwork and scored 291 goals during a club career that took in spells at Fiorentina, Juventus and both Milan clubs. Only three players have scored more goals for the Italian national side, with Baggio a set-piece expert from free-kicks and penalties.
He scored a century of penalty goals during his career but, somewhat sadly, is often most associated with one he did not convert. Baggio’s missed penalty in the 1994 World Cup final, blazed high over the crossbar, saw Brazil crowned champions and Italy’s dream end.
90s Hitmen: The Divine Ponytail, Roberto Baggio
4. Lionel Messi – 109
Lionel Messi ranks fourth with 109 goals from penalties, despite accusations from some that the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner is rather average when it comes to converting from the spot.
Messi’s 108 goals from penalties come alongside 31 misses to give the Argentine a conversion rate of 77.86%. He has, however, shown his ability to convert when the pressure is at its highest, most notably during Argentina’s run to World Cup success in 2022.
IT HAD TO BE HIM!!!! ????
Argentina erupts as Lionel Messi converts from the spot to put his country in the lead… ????????#ITVFootball | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/eekK0kSPPD
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) December 18, 2022
Messi scored four penalties in Qatar and converted twice additionally in shootouts, including in Argentina’s final win over France.
3. Ronald Koeman – 113
Ronald Koeman’s goalscoring record is the stuff of legend, with the Dutch defender scoring 238 career club goals despite featuring predominantly at centre-back.
That return is remarkably more than forwards including Michael Owen and Nicolas Anelka and Koeman’s career saw him score 10+ league goals in 10 different seasons during spells at
Groningen, PSV, Barcelona and Feyenoord.
Koeman’s set-piece excellence saw him score several spectacular strikes, including a memorable free-kick winner as Barcelona won the European Cup for the first time in 1992. Koeman – the highest scoring defender of all time – scored almost half of his career goals from the penalty spot.
2. Romario – 114
Romario is recognised as one of the greatest goalscorers of all time, a forward who hit over 700 career goals and who reached a century for three different clubs.
The brilliant Brazilian was the inspiration as his nation became world champions at USA ’94. He won the tournament’s Golden Ball and the FIFA World Player of the Year award, following a campaign which saw Romario score 34 times for Barcelona and fire five goals at the World Cup.
Boasting explosive acceleration and lethal finishing, Romario’s trademark became a toe-poked finish as he deceived goalkeepers time and time again. Only one player has ever scored more penalties than Romario, who converted 114 spot-kicks in his career.
90s Hitmen: Romario, a Brazilian goalscoring genius
1. Cristiano Ronaldo – 163
Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record for the most penalties scored, having fired home 163 goals from spot-kick situations.
Ronaldo’s career has been one of goalscoring records and staggering success, with the Portugal international the highest scorer in the history of Real Madrid, the Champions League and men’s international football.
???? ¡A por la Undécima! ????
???? @Cristiano smashed in the decisive shootout penalty as @realmadrid beat @atleti & became 11-time European champions #onthisday in 2016. ????
Nothing brings out that emotion quite like the #UCLfinal! pic.twitter.com/rscXjNubrB
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 28, 2019
Ronaldo has ended campaigns as the leading scorer in England, Spain and Italy, winning the European Golden Shoe on four occasions in the process. His peak seasons came at Real Madrid, for who he scored an astonishing 450 goals in 438 games across nine seasons.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s record-breaking number of penalties has come at an impressive 84.9% conversion rate.
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