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A penalty shoot-out is the most nerve-wracking part of the game. Occasionally, 120 minutes and all the planning and tactics in the world are not enough to separate two teams. In such a scenario, the fate of the match boils down to who can hold their nerve from 12 yards out.
Penalties also offer invaluable scoring opportunities to teams during the regulation 90 minutes of a match, or in extra time. How many times have we seen cagey and closely fought affairs decided by the odd spot-kick?
Managers are quick to point out that a penalty is usually a roll of a dice involving a great deal of luck and good fortune. But certain players have mastered the art of winning psychological battles against goalkeepers. On that note, here's a look at ten of the greatest penalty takers of all time.
*The players on this list have been ranked on the basis of the number of successful penalties as well as the circumstances in which they have been scored. All stats are via Transfermarkt, Opta and Statbunker
#10 Steven Gerrard
Liverpool and England legend Steven Gerrard was a cool customer from 12 yards out, and was never one to shy away from penalty duties. One of the greatest captains in Liverpool history, the former England captain scored 46 penalties in his career.
With 32 successful penalties in the league, the midfielder ranks third on the all-time penalty-scoring list in the Premier League era. He made it a habit of netting from the spot against the Reds' bitter rivals Manchester United. Gerrard failed to find the net from the spot only nine times in his career.
#9 Mario Balotelli
One of football's most memorable characters, Mario Balotelli was casually nonchalant from 12 yards out, leaving goalkeepers wondering "why always him?" The Italian striker's technique is one of effortless brilliance as he strolls up to the ball before dispatching it past the baffled custodian in goal.
Mario Balotelli has scored 40 penalties for Italy, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Manchester City and Liverpool. The forward's record from the spot is impressive, as he has missed only five times in his career.
#8 Frank Lampard
The greatest goalscoring midfielder of all time, Frank Lampard is also the second-most successful penalty taker in Premier League history (43 penalties). Chelsea's all-time top scorer (211 goals) scored 60 penalties for club and country. These included decisive strikes against the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal.
An expert at set-pieces, Lampard was Chelsea's first-choice penalty taker for most of his stint at Stamford Bridge. He also converted his spot-kick in the Blues' heartbreaking defeat to Manchester United in the 2008 UEFA Champions League final. The Englishman missed ten penalties in his career.
#7 Alessandro Del Piero
Italy and Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero was renowned as a dead-ball specialist. An excellent free-kick taker, the striker was also lethal from 12 yards out. Del Piero scored 77 penalties in his career, while failing with 15 attempts.
With 290 goals, Del Piero is Juventus' all-time top scorer and arguably the greatest player in their history. The centre-forward scored 27 times for Italy, which puts him fourth in the country's all-time scoring list.
Del Piero won six Serie A titles with Juventus, as well as the 1996 UEFA Champions League. He also won the 2006 FIFA World Cup with Italy, and is the second-highest all-time Italian goalscorer across competitions, with 346 goals.
#6 Francesco Totti
The greatest player in AS Roma history, long-time club captain and talisman Francesco Totti scored 86 penalties for club and country. The Italian legend spent his entire career with Roma, establishing himself as one of the best forwards of his era.
Totti is second in the all-time list of penalties scored in Serie A. He was successful with 36 of his 38 attempts from the spot in the Italian top flight. The 2006 FIFA World Cup winner missed 19 penalties in his career, the last of which came in the 2012-13 campaign.
He was subsequently perfect from the spot for the next four seasons until his retirement in 2017.
#5 Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimovic's stint with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was hugely successful. With 156 goals, the big Swede is the second-highest goalscorer in the club's all-time scoring list. However, he is also the most prolific penalty taker in Ligue 1 history, having scored 24 of his 27 spot-kick attempts in the league for the Parisians.
Ibrahimovic has played for some of the biggest clubs in the world, including AC Milan, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Manchester United and PSG.
Known for his immense self-confidence and charisma, Ibrahimovic has always been ready to step up and take key spot-kicks for his team. The Swedish forward has scored an impressive 84 penalties in his career, while he has failed with 16 attempts.
#4 Alan Shearer
It's no surprise that the Premier League's all-time leading scorer is also the most prolific penalty taker in the history of England's top flight. Alan Shearer, who netted an unbelievable 260 league goals for Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United, leads the Premier League's penalty-scoring list with 56 successful attempts.
Although there is some debate around his total attempts, notable stats expert Opta suggests Shearer missed 11 league penalties. Meanwhile, sources estimate that Shearer scored a staggering 72 penalties during his decorated career.
The England striker, who won the league title with Blackburn in 1996, led the Premier League in scoring three times in the 1990s. With 30 goals for his country, Shearer is the greatest centre-forward to have graced English football.
#3 Marco van Basten
Ajax, AC Milan and Dutch legend Marco van Basten is among the greatest players to have graced the game. The striker was a key part of one of AC Milan's most successful sides in the 1980s. However, he was forced to retire at the age of 28 after many knee injuries.
Known for his sensational scoring record and stunning volleyed goals, Marco van Basten scored 51 penalties in his career, missing only four times. That gives him a success rate of 94.4%, which is up there with Matt Le Tissier for the best ever.
Van Basten scored over 270 goals in around 370 combined appearances for AC Milan and Ajax. He also played 58 games for the Netherlands, netting 24 times.
He is best known for winning the Ballon d'Or award three times (1988,1989 and 1992), and scoring arguably the greatest goal in the history of the Euros. He played a key role in the Netherlands' triumph at Euro 1988, which remains their only major international trophy to date.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo
The most prolific penalty taker in football history, Cristiano Ronaldo is an unmistakable presence in this list. The Portuguese superstar has scored an astonishing 143 penalties in his career.
Ronaldo's elite mentality and ability to deliver under pressure is well-documented, and he has always been a man for the big occasion.
From stoppage-time winners and crucial FIFA World Cup strikes to the decisive spot-kick in the 2016 Champions League final, CR7's composure from 12 yards out is legendary. With 60 successful attempts in the league for Real Madrid, he also holds the all-time record for most penalties scored in La Liga history.
The only reason the Manchester United man does not top our list is because of his high-profile misses. Ronaldo failed with his attempts in the 2008 Champions League final shootout (against Chelsea) and the 2012 Champions League semi-finals (against Bayern Munich).
He has 28 misses across his career for an impressive success rate of 83.6%.
#1 Matt Le Tissier
One of the most underrated players of the 1990s, Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier is considered the greatest penalty taker in the game's history. The England midfielder scored 47 spot-kicks during his career. Incredibly, he missed only once, ruining his spotless record and providing a pub quiz staple for decades to come.
His only miss from the spot came in the inaugural Premier League season (1992-93) in March 1993, when Nottingham Forest's Mark Crossley saved his effort at The Dell. Le Tessier would later talk about that save, saying:
“Mark Crossley is still dining out on that save; I couldn’t wish for a nicer lad to save my penalty!”
Known for scoring spectacular goals from distance and his exquisite first touch, Le Tissier had a career that is one of the biggest 'what ifs' in English football. Question marks over his work ethic along with his injury woes prevented the midfielder from reaching the giddy heights many believed he was capable of.
