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Over time, it has only gotten more difficult for referees in football to make the right call on the pitch. Players at times, with their trickery, have been quite smart in conning them to receive a foul.
It doesn't take away the fact that there have been genuine cases of fouls that are rightly given more often than not. The introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) has only aided the referee's cause.
Top dribblers have earned more penalties
Players who have won more fouls historically have either been very good at dribbling or have a blistering pace at their disposal. Such footballers have often been successful in winning penalties for their teams.
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Since the 2016-17 season, some of the top players have been quite effective in earning spot-kicks across Europe. Here, we take a look at the footballers who have earned the highest number of penalties in the past six seasons.
Note: Europe's top five leagues are considered
#5 Wilfried Zaha - 14
Wilfried Zaha has been amazing for Crystal Palace ever since he rejoined them in the 2014-15 season after spending a year at Manchester United. His form on the wings has been critical for the Eagles, more so in keeping them away from the relegation zone in the Premier League. He has scored 83 goals and made 73 assists in 430 appearances across competitions for Palace.
The Ivorian winger has a knack for dribbling past players with pace and creating goal-scoring opportunities. His quick feet and amazing dribbling has helped him draw fouls on numerous occasions.
Since the 2016-17 season, Zaha has won 14 penalties so far. It comes as no surprise given that he has drawn the highest number of fouls in the Premier League in the 2016-17 (120) and 2021-22 (115) seasons.
#4 Mohamed Salah - 14
Mohamed Salah was very impressive at Roma and it only got better for him when he signed for Liverpool in the 2017-18 season. Since then, the Egyptian has been a goal-scoring machine in the Premier League. He has scored 118 goals and made 47 assists in 193 appearances for the Reds in the English top flight.
With his blistering pace, nimble footwork and superb dribbling, Salah has more often than not instigated fouls from the opposition. He has been a real threat in the box and it has been very difficult for defenders to handle him.
Salah has so far earned 14 penalties since the start of the 2016-17 season. The left-footed winger has been guilty of going down easily in the box at times but nonetheless remains a massive player for the Reds.
#3 Ciro Immobile - 15
Few players in the football world right now are as underrated as Ciro Immobile. The Italian striker has been phenomenal for Lazio over the past six seasons, scoring 150 league goals in just 208 appearances.
He may not be the fastest player on the pitch but Immobile does have an amazing ability to carry the ball into the penalty box. The Lazio striker has used his strong physique smartly to draw fouls from opposition defenders.
Immobile has won 15 penalties so far since the start of the 2016-17 season. Given his enormous contribution to Italian football, it is only just that the 32-year-old gets more recognition.
#2 Kylian Mbappe - 16
There was a lot of uncertainty surrounding Kylian Mbappe's future since the start of the 2021-22 season. The Frenchman was heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid but instead chose to renew his contract with his current club Paris Saint-Germain.
Mbappe has been stunning in Ligue 1 ever since his AS Monaco days. His gameplay has only improved since joining Paris-Saint Germain in the 2017-18 season. With his blistering pace and mind-boggling dribbling, Mbappe has been a nightmare for defenders. He has scored 171 goals and made 87 assists in 217 appearances across competitions for the Ligue 1 champions.
Sometimes the only way to stop the 23-year-old is to foul him, which has only helped Mbappe in winning more penalties. Since the 2016-17 season, the French forward has won 16 penalties.
#1 Raheem Sterling - 18
Raheem Sterling has been a successful player in the Premier League and an important one for Manchester City. Having won the league four times already, the Englishman has justified why he moved to City from Liverpool in 2015.
He has scored 131 goals and made 95 assists in 339 matches across competitions for the Premier League champions.
While on song, Sterling has been very difficult to contain. With his low center of gravity, amazing pace and fine dribbling skills, the English winger can carry the ball for a long time. He has enjoyed carrying the ball into the penalty area, which has not been a pretty sight for defenders.
Sterling's quickness has helped him earn 18 penalties since the start of the 2016-17 season.
