This article will tell you about the top 10 players who have missed the most penalties in 21st century.
Some of the greatest football players in history have missed numerous penalties, so scoring from 12 yards isn’t as simple as it seems. Nevertheless, some excellent penalty takers in the current game can choose their place and tune out the commotion.
An accurate ball-striking technique and the ability to perform well under duress are characteristics of the spot-kick taker most teams have. However, even the most consistent penalty-kick takers can be prone to the occasional blunder, with goalkeepers such as Emi Martinez being noted for his ability to stop penalties.
Some unexpected names are included on this list of the players who have missed the most penalties, like Cristiano Ronaldo, who is ranked highly as a spot-kick master. In light of that, these ten players have missed the most penalties in the twenty-first century.
Most penalties missed
Rank | Player | Current Club | Penalties Missed | Penalty Conversion Rate |
1. | Lionel Messi | Inter Miami | 31 | 77.9% |
2. | Cristiano Ronaldo | Al Nasser | 31 | 84.6% |
3. | Francesco Totti | Retired | 18 | 81.1% |
4. | Neymar | Al Hilal | 18 | 82.9% |
5. | Zlatan Ibrahimovic | Retired | 17 | 83.6% |
6. | Ronaldinho | Retired | 16 | 81.1% |
7. | Circo Immobile | Besiktas | 16 | 83.3% |
8. | Antonio Di Natale | Retired | 14 | 75.8% |
9. | Sergio Aguero | Retired | 14 | 77.4% |
10. | Edinson Cavani | Boca Juniors | 14 | 81.6% |
Despite having a respectable 81.6% penalty conversion rate from the spot, Cavani has missed 14 penalties since 2001, placing him in the top ten players in the 21st century for most missed penalties. However, Cavani was never Paris Saint-Germain’s go-to penalty-taker.
Because of his lower conversion rate, Sergio Aguero is ranked better than Edison Cavani even though he missed the same number of penalties. With a conversion rate of 77.4%, the Argentine is by no means poor. However, given how many penalties the striker took, this figure is exaggerated.
With 227 goals, Di Natale retired in 2016 as Udinese’s all-time leading scorer. He has a 75.8% conversion rate, missing only 14 of his 44 spot-kick attempts.
Immobile has missed 16 penalties in his career, which translates to an 83.3% conversion rate from 12 yards out, despite having a perfect penalty record in Turkey.
With 16 missed penalties, Brazilian legend Ronaldinho is tied with Ciro Immobile, but his conversion rate is slightly lower at 81.1%. The former Barcelona and AC Milan player isn’t typically thought of when you think of penalties, but it’s obvious that he was trusted from the penalty spot.
Throughout his career, Ibrahimovic has taken it upon himself to take penalties, and he has done so 104 times. Even the best players can occasionally become overwhelmed by the strain of taking a penalty, so it’s easy to understand why he missed 17 of them. Ibrahimovic, who retired at age 41, has an 83.6% conversion percentage and has scored 87 goals from the penalty spot.
Neymar usually chooses placement above power and has a slow run-up. With 87 goals from the penalty spot, the Brazilian has an extremely impressive 82.9% conversion rate. For Paris Saint-Germain, Santos, and the Brazilian national team, the 32-year-old has been the major penalty-taker. At Barcelona, however, he took fewer penalties because Lionel Messi was the main taker.
Totti converted 13 straight penalties in the latter part of his career and missed not a single one in his final four and a half seasons. In his career, the Italian did miss two more penalties, but they were in 2001 and are not included in his total. The dynamic forward won two Copa Italia, two Supercoppa Italiana, and the Serie A championship during his time with Roma.
Also Read: Top 10 Players With Most Penalties Scored In A Year – Premier League
Throughout his career, Ronaldo has stepped up to take penalties, and he has done it on the most important occasions, including European Championships and pivotal Champions League games. Interestingly, the striker has also made a few mistakes when shooting from 12 yards out. For instance, in the 2008 Champions League final against Chelsea, he missed the penalty shootout.
Messi has missed penalties in pivotal games, just like Ronaldo. He briefly retired from international football in 2016 after missing a crucial penalty for his nation, which resulted in their defeat in the Copa America final.