- Converting a penalty might look straightforward, but it’s one of the toughest tests of composure in football
- Over the years, some of football’s biggest names have missed crucial spot-kicks that changed the course of matches and tournaments
- With that in mind, YEN.com.gh takes a closer look at the six players who have missed the most penalties in the 21st century
Scoring from the penalty spot may seem simple, but even some of football’s greatest players have been guilty of missing from 12 yards.
Still, the modern game boasts several excellent penalty specialists capable of tuning out the pressure and finding the back of the net with precision.
Source: Getty Images
Every team usually has a designated penalty taker, someone composed under pressure and skilled in accurate ball striking.
Yet, even the most reliable players are not immune to mistakes, especially against top goalkeepers like Emi Martinez, who has built a reputation for saving penalties.
Interestingly, among the players who have missed the most penalties are a few unexpected names — including Cristiano Ronaldo, widely regarded as a spot-kick expert.
With that in mind, YEN.com.gh takes a closer look at the six players who have missed the most penalties in the 21st century.
6. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Penalty Misses: 17)
Zlatan Ibrahimović has always thrived under the spotlight, producing some of football’s most iconic goals in high-pressure moments while winning trophies with multiple clubs.
Throughout his illustrious career, the Swedish star often took responsibility from the spot, stepping up to take a total of 104 penalties.
Even so, the immense pressure of the moment can affect anyone — and his 17 misses are a reminder that no player is flawless.
By the time he retired at 41, Ibrahimović had scored 87 penalties, boasting an impressive 83.6% conversion rate.
5. Francesco Totti (Penalty Misses: 18)
Francesco Totti is widely regarded as one of the finest penalty-takers of the 21st century, though he still features prominently on the list of players with the most misses.
The legendary forward scored prolifically throughout his career, maintaining a conversion rate of over 80%.
Remarkably, Totti went his final four and a half seasons without missing a single penalty, converting 13 in a row to close out his career in style.
While he did miss two earlier spot-kicks back in 2001, those are not included in his official tally.
A one-club icon, Totti spent his entire career at AS Roma, where he won one Serie A title, two Coppa Italia trophies, and two Supercoppa Italiana titles.
4. Ciro Immobile (Penalties Missed: 19)
Ciro Immobile is best known for his prolific spell at Lazio, where he stands as the club’s all-time leading goalscorer.
He also ranks eighth on Serie A’s all-time scorers list — a remarkable feat that cements his legacy among Italy’s greats.
Throughout his career, Immobile has missed 19 penalties, maintaining an impressive 80.3% conversion rate from the spot.
3. Neymar (Penalty Misses: 22)
Neymar has never shied away from pressure, regularly stepping up to take penalties for both club and country throughout his illustrious career.
Renowned for his flair and composure, the Brazilian star is considered one of the finest penalty-takers of the modern era, even though he has missed 22 attempts.
Known for his slow, calculated run-up and preference for placement over power, Neymar has converted 91 penalties, an impressive 80.5% success rate.
Over the years, the 33-year-old has been the designated penalty taker for Paris Saint-Germain, Santos, and the Brazil national team, though he took fewer spot-kicks at Barcelona, where Lionel Messi handled those duties.
2. Lionel Messi (Penalty Misses: 32)
In second place on the list is Lionel Messi, a surprising inclusion given his flawless record from the spot during Argentina’s World Cup triumph in Qatar in 2022, where he scored four penalties.
The 38-year-old captain consistently leads by example and never shies away from responsibility, even in the most high-pressure moments.
However, only one player has missed more penalties than Messi in the 21st century.
Despite that, his 77.9% conversion rate remains impressive, especially considering the sheer number of spot-kicks he has taken over his illustrious, trophy-filled career.
Messi’s penalty woes have occasionally come at crucial times — most notably in 2016, when a missed penalty in the Copa América final against Chile contributed to Argentina’s defeat and prompted his brief retirement from international football.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Penalty Misses: 34)
Topping this unwanted list is the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo. Despite boasting an impressive 83.9% conversion rate, the Portuguese captain holds the record for the most penalty misses in football history.
Throughout his illustrious career, Ronaldo has been his team’s go-to man from the spot, delivering under immense pressure in major moments, from Champions League clashes to international tournaments with Portugal.
However, even the greatest have their setbacks. One of his most memorable misses came in the 2008 Champions League final against Chelsea, while his most recent came for Portugal against the Republic of Ireland in October 2025, when Caoimhín Kelleher denied him.
Still, at 40 years old, Ronaldo remains one of the most clinical and fearless penalty-takers the game has ever seen.
Source: YEN.com.gh
Source: Yen.com.gh
