Few things in football create more tension than a penalty kick. One step, one strike, and history can change. Some players became immortal thanks to their calmness, others are remembered for a miss that haunted them. From Panenka’s chip to Mbappé’s heartbreak, here are the penalty moments that defined the game.
Antonín Panenka – Euro 1976 final
Every cheeky chipped penalty today owes its existence to Antonín Panenka. In the European Championship final between Czechoslovakia and West Germany (1976), the midfielder stepped up in sudden death. Instead of blasting the ball, he floated it down the middle as Sepp Maier dived. Czechoslovakia won the trophy, and the “Panenka” was born. Nearly 50 years later, players still try it, but few with the same flair.
Roberto Baggio – World Cup 1994 final
Roberto Baggio carried Italy through the 1994 World Cup with stunning goals. In the final against Brazil in Pasadena, he had the chance to keep his team alive in the shootout. Instead, he sent his penalty over the crossbar. Brazil were champions, and Baggio’s miss became one of the most infamous moments in football. The image of him standing alone, head down, is seared into memory.
Zinedine Zidane – World Cup 2006 final
France’s captain had nerves of steel in Berlin. Facing Gianluigi Buffon, Zinedine Zidane chipped his penalty off the bar and in. It was a daring strike in a World Cup final, his last match before retirement. Later that night, his headbutt on Marco Materazzi overshadowed the goal, but that penalty showed Zidane’s supreme confidence on the biggest stage.
Cristiano Ronaldo – Champions League 2008 final
In Moscow, Cristiano Ronaldo was at his peak with Manchester United. Facing Chelsea in the Champions League final, he saw his penalty saved by Petr Čech. For a moment, it looked like disaster, but John Terry’s slip and Edwin van der Sar’s heroics gave United the trophy. Even one of the game’s best scorers learned how brutal the spot-kick can be.
Andrea Pirlo – Euro 2012 quarter-final
England vs Italy in Kyiv went to penalties, and Andrea Pirlo produced one of the most famous spot-kicks of the modern era. With Joe Hart trying to distract him, Pirlo calmly dinked the ball straight down the middle. His audacity flipped the momentum of the shootout, and Italy advanced. Coolness in its purest form.
Lionel Messi – Copa América 2016 final
Lionel Messi’s relationship with Argentina was full of frustration before glory finally arrived. In the Copa América Centenario final against Chile, he blazed his penalty over the bar. In tears after the match, Messi announced his retirement from international football, only to return months later. Five years later, he finally lifted the Copa América in 2021, turning pain into redemption.
Kylian Mbappé – Euro 2020 round of 16
Switzerland’s Yann Sommer will always be remembered for saving Kylian Mbappé’s penalty at Euro 2020. France, the world champions and favorites, were knocked out after the PSG star’s miss in the final round of the shootout. For Mbappé, it was a rare low in a career full of dazzling highs, a reminder of how cruel penalties can be.
Extra penalty stories you might not know
The origins
Penalty kicks were first written into football’s laws in 1891 after years of arguments that fouls near goal were going unpunished. The debut penalty happened in Scotland, during a Cup tie between Airdrieonians and Renton. Some critics even called it “an insult to sportsmanship.”
The American experiment
In the early days of Major League Soccer, from 1996 to 1999, shootouts looked very different. Instead of a simple spot-kick, players started 35 yards from goal, had five seconds, and could dribble before shooting. It was flashy but short-lived, and soon abandoned.
The VAR effect
Modern football has seen a rise in penalties thanks to VAR. Small fouls and handballs in the box are now spotted by technology, leading to more spot-kicks — and plenty of heated debates. For goalkeepers and takers alike, the pressure has only grown.
