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FootballWho has the best penalty conversion rate in football history?
Football is a game where penalty kicks decide many matches and to pinpoint the player with the best penalty conversion rate is exciting but tough. They showcase the skill and also mental toughness. These situations, where everything depends on one kick, have been documented thoroughly.
Table of Сontents:
We have carefully looked into the players with the best penalty conversion rate, using many credible sources. These included records from club websites and official football stats. Interviews from former players and experts were also valuable in this piece.
Top 10 players with the best penalty conversion rate in football history
Player name | Notable teams played for |
Danny Murphy | Liverpool, Fulham |
Marco Van Basten | AC Milan, Ajax |
Ferenc Puskás | Honvéd, Real Madrid |
Antonín Panenka | Bohemians Praha 1905, Rapid Vienna |
Gaizka Mendieta | Valencia, Lazio, Barcelona |
Zico | Flamengo, Udinese |
Cuauhtemoc Blanco | América, Valladolid, Chicago Fire |
Matt Le Tissier | Southampton |
Yaya Touré | Manchester City |
Ledio Pano | Partizani Tirana |
Being a skilled penalty taker is valuable, and it helps strikers gunning for Golden Boots. It also helps teams needing crucial wins. The best seem cool as cucumbers, but it is a tough skill to learn. Read more to know who has the best penalty conversion rate of all time in football.
10. Danny Murphy
- Full name: Daniel Ben Murphy
- Nationality: English
- Born: 18 March 1977
- Place of birth: Chester, England
- Position: Midfielder
- Conversion rate: 94.7%
Now, as a pundit on TV, Murphy talks about soccer. However, he was a good soccer player and he could take penalty kicks with skill. When playing, Murphy scored key penalties. Notably, in 2004, Murphy scored Manchester United from the penalty spot and gave Liverpool a 1-0 win.
Murphy nearly had a perfect penalty record of 19 out of 19 kicks, but Joe Hart stopped one shot. This happened in 2008 with Manchester City vs. Fulham. Murphy scored after, though, and Fulham came back from 2-0 down to win 3-2. He is among a few elites who have the best penalty conversion rate ever in the Premier League.
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Football9. Marco Van Basten
- Full name: Marcel van Basten
- Nationality: Dutch
- Born: 31 October 1964
- Place of birth: Utrecht, Netherlands
- Position: Striker
- Conversion rate: 94.9%
Van Basten was a brilliant striker and had amazing scoring abilities. Being one of the most skilled players ever, he earned the nickname "Swan Of Utrecht" for his graceful, smart attacks on goal. Van Basten loved scoring acrobatic, beautiful goals.
During his impressive career, Van Basten scored 300 goals. But an ankle injury ended his career early at age 28 in 1993. Two years later, he had to retire. Van Basten rarely missed from the penalty spot, scoring 56 out of 59 he took.
8. Ferenc Puskás
- Full name: Ferenc Puskás
- Nationality: Hungarian
- Born: 1 April 1927
- Place of birth: Budapest, Hungary
- Position: Forward
- Conversion rate: 95.9%
The best Goal award was named after Puskás, showing how talented he was. He scored an amazing 598 goals in only 618 matches, and 84 of those goals were for his national team.
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FootballPuskás won 10 league championships, three European Cup victories, and an Olympic Gold medal too. Pundits called him the greatest goal-scorer of the 1900s. Not only that, but he was great at penalties as well - he scored 70 out of 73 tries.
7. Antonín Panenka
- Full name: Antonín Panenka
- Nationality: Czech
- Born: 2 December 1948
- Place of birth: Prague, Czechoslovakia
- Position: Attacking midfielder
- Conversion rate: 96.0%
Panenka won only two league titles and three cups in Austria, and that does not usually make someone famous. But, his name is known for a bold penalty kick move. He scored 24 out of 25 he took, being one of the best penalty conversion rates of all time.
Players now sometimes gently chip the ball over the goalie on penalties. Some think it is brilliant; others think it is risky. However, everyone agrees it is impressive to pull it off. Imagine being the first to try this daring move.
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FootballIt is the 1976 European Championship final, and your team leads by two goals but now faces penalties against West Germany for their first major title. You understand that scoring this penalty wins the Championship. So, you casually chip the ball down the middle and win it for Czechoslovakia.
6. Gaizka Mendieta
- Full name: Gaizka Mendieta Zabala
- Nationality: Spanish
- Born: 27 March 1974
- Place of birth: Bilbao, Spain
- Position: Midfielder
- Conversion rate: 96.7%
As a player for Valencia, Mendieta had amazing skills and ball control. He took his time when taking penalties. First, Mendieta would walk slowly toward the ball. Then, he would pause to watch the goalkeeper move. Finally, he would kick the ball smoothly in the opposite direction from the goalkeeper.
Mendieta has one of the best penalty conversion rates in history. Out of 30 penalty kicks, he scored 29 goals, and his brilliant play for Valencia helped him join teams like Lazio and Barcelona. Still, nobody questioned his natural talent on the field.
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Rugby5. Zico
- Full name: Arthur Antunes Coimbra
- Nationality: Brazilian
- Born: 3 March 1953
- Place of birth: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Position: Attacking midfielder
- Conversion rate: 96.9%
Setting his penalty-taking skill aside, Zico stands tall as a soccer legend. Fifth on this special list, he was Brazil's top penalty shooter - beating icons like Romario, Ronaldo, and Pele in this area.
Though he spent most of his storied career in Brazil, Zico shined bright for Brazil's national team, too. He earned 72 caps and scored 52 goals despite injuries.
In soccer history, Zico is hailed as a creative genius with superb technique and goal-scoring flair. Yet his impressive 93 out of 96 penalties scored stat often gets overlooked. Without a doubt, Zico is a true soccer great.
4. Cuauhtemoc Blanco
- Full name: Cuauhtémoc Blanco Bravo
- Nationality: Mexican
- Born: 17 January 1973
- Place of birth: Mexico City
- Position: Forward
- Conversion rate: 97.3%
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RugbyCuauhtémoc Blanco is famous in both politics and football. He serves as Morelos Governor for the Juntos Haremos Historia coalition, and before that, Blanco was Cuernavaca's mayor. On the field, he was a great attacking player.
For most of his career, Blanco played as a deep forward, then later an attacking midfielder. He is one of Mexico's best footballers ever. Blanco was an amazing penalty-taker, too. Out of 73 penalty kicks, he scored 71, and that is a remarkable record for penalties in football history.
3. Matt Le Tissier
- Full name: Matthew Paul Le Tissier
- Nationality: British
- Born: 14 October 1968
- Place of birth: Saint Peter Port, Guernsey
- Position: Attacking midfielder
- Conversion rate: 98%
Matt Le Tissier was a famous player for Southampton and one of the best penalty-takers in football history. People called him 'Le God.' Not only was he great at penalties, but he also dribbled. In fact, even Xavi Hernández noticed Le Tissier's skills when young.
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FootballFor penalties, Le Tissier kept it simple - aim for corners with power. He stated:
"I stuck it in the corner, and if the keeper went the right way, it was hard enough to beat him."
He only faced one penalty save during his career, by Mark Crossley of Nottingham Forest in March 1993, early in the Premier League. After that one miss, Le Tissier never failed another penalty out of 49 more tries. Notably too, he became the first midfielder to score 100 Premier League goals.
2. Yaya Touré
- Full name: Gnégnéri Yaya Touré
- Nationality: Ivorian
- Born: 13 May 1983
- Place of birth: Bouaké, Ivory Coast
- Position: Midfielder
- Conversion rate: 100%
Yaya Touré was not famous for penalty kicks, taking just 11 in his career. Yet, stats show he was the deadliest from the spot, especially during his period at Manchester City, where he scored all 15 penalties over eight years.
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TennisTouré's penalties helped City win key games, with his first against West Brom and his last against West Ham. In total, he scored from 11 Premier League penalties, one international, and 3 cup games in England without missing once. Strangely, despite having best penalty conversion rate in the Premier League, Touré rarely took penalties.
1. Ledio Pano
- Full name: Ledio Pano
- Nationality: Albanian
- Born: 23 May 1968
- Place of birth: Albania
- Position: Midfielder
- Conversion rate: 100%
Ledio Pano holds the best penalty conversion rate in Europe: scoring 50 out of 50 penalty kicks, a 100% success rate. He is the son of Panajot Pano, considered one of Albania's greatest footballers ever. Some may doubt Pano's inclusion since his career took place outside elite leagues. But a perfect 50/50 penalty record is astonishing, regardless of level. For this feat alone, we celebrate Ledio Pano.
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WWECritics might argue Pano played only in Albania and Greece, not top-tier leagues. However, we believe a 100% penalty scoring ratio from 50 attempts is truly remarkable, no matter the competition standard. That is why Ledio Pano deserves recognition and applause from us all.
Trivia
Converting penalties take more than skill. It shows a player's strong mind and ability to handle pressure. These athletes are not just good at penalty kicks; their incredible records make them football legends.
Which footballer has the highest penalty conversion rate?
Yaya Touré and Ledio Pano hold the highest penalty conversion rate of 100%. However, Touré had fewer penalties taken compared to Ledio but played in one of the most competitive leagues.
Which footballer has never missed a penalty?
Yaya Touré and Ledio Pano have never missed a penalty.
Who scored the most penalties in their career?
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored the most penalties in men's football history, with over 163 goals from penalty kicks. He has an overall penalty conversion rate of 85%, and is the first player to score 150+ penalties in top-level games for clubs and country.
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FootballWhat is Messi's penalty conversion rate?
He has a conversion rate of about 75.56%. Messi was Barcelona's go-to penalty-taker, having taken to the spot 90 times in both La Liga and the Champions League scoring 68 times. He is also among the top penalty scorers of all time in La Liga.
Final word
This article reveals stories of quiet confidence and calm nerves. These players, with the best penalty conversion rates, represent clutch performances. They are legends who excelled under pressure.
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Rather than prioritizing individual or corporate interests, they embrace democratic principles of participation and representation. Fans take an active role, fostering a unique sense of involvement and shared ownership. Click the above link to read more!