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Contrary to what many believe, taking penalties is not an easy business. It requires sharpness of the mind and an ability to read a goalkeeper's actions. Not every player in a team takes penalties.
Some of the best players in the world are top penalty-takers. The likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo do not shirk away from the responsibility, while teams tend to make the best players in the squad the first-choice penalty-taker.
Without much ado, we rank the:
5 best penalty takers in the world this season (2020/21)
#5 Ciro Immobile (Lazio)
One of the best strikers in Serie A, Ciro Immobile is enjoying a phenomenal goalscoring stint at Lazio, where he has thrived.
Having made his name at Torino, Immobile's move to Borussia Dortmund did not go according to plan, and the Italy international returned to Serie A by signing for Lazio in 2016. This proved to be an excellent decision by the striker, with Immobile in sensational form for quite some time now.
The 31-year old has made 215 appearances in all competitions for Lazio, scoring 149 goals. This season, Immobile has made 31 Serie A appearances, scoring 19 goals and providing six assists. Out of those 19 goals, four have been penalties.
#4 Jorginho (Chelsea)
Jorginho has been linked with a move away from Chelsea for quite some time now, and could likely leave the club in the summer.
An intelligent footballer renowned for his passing ability from the base of midfield, Jorginho thrived under the management of Maurizio Sarri at Napoli. Sarri's appointment as Chelsea manager saw the Blues buy the Italy international for a fee of £51 million as Sarri sought to implement his particular style of play.
While Jorginho has had some good moments as a Chelsea player, he has not been consistently impressive.
The 29-year old has made 134 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea, and has been one of the main penalty-takers in the squad. He has scored six goals in the Premier League this season, all of which have been penalties.
Also Read: 5 best midfielders in the Premier League this season (2020/21)
#3 Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
Juventus have finally relinquished their domestic dominance, with Inter Milan the new Serie A champions.
The Old Lady have struggled this season under the management of Andrea Pirlo, but Cristiano Ronaldo has been in fine form. The Portugal international has led the line well for Juventus, but inconsistent team performances have seen Juventus disappoint both domestically and in the Champions League.
The 36-year old is the top goalscorer in Serie A this season, having scored 27 goals in 30 league appearances. Ronaldo, who has scored six penalties in the league this season, has been linked with a return to Manchester United as well as a move to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer.
#2 Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)
One of the best players in world football right now, Kylian Mbappe is going from strength to strength with his performances for Paris Saint-Germain.
The 22-year old has already achieved a lot in football, including winning the FIFA World Cup with France. For Paris Saint-Germain Mbappe is seen as a talismanic figure, with his incredible pace, dribbling ability and technical skill causing immense problems for opposition defenses.
Since joining Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, the former AS Monaco forward has been in frightening form. He has made 167 appearances in all competitions, scoring 127 goals. This season, Mbappe has made 29 Ligue 1 appearances, scoring 25 goals. He has scored six penalties in the league this season.
#1 Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
One of the best midfielders in the world this season, Bruno Fernandes has completely transformed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Manchester United.
A struggling Manchester United signed Fernandes from Sporting CP in January 2020 for a fee of £49.5 million. The Portugal international's impact was immediate, with his drive, creativity, goalscoring ability and leadership quality all proving to be crucial for the Red Devils.
Fernandes has been in fine form this season. In 33 Premier League games, the 26-year old has scored 16 goals and provided 11 assists. The Manchester United man has scored eight penalties in the Premier League this season.
Also Read: 5 greatest Chelsea strikers of all time
