Top 15 Penalty Takers In Football History Till 2023

Football penalties are difficult to take, especially when the outcome of the kick will determine the outcome of the game. When a penalty is called during a game, teams are tense. Not every excellent scorer is also an excellent penalty taker. There have been reports of star players missing opportunities. Here is the list of the top 15 Penalty Takers In Football History Till 2023.

1. Jorginho

Jorginho, a midfielder for Chelsea, is regarded as one of the world's best consistent penalty-takers in 2022. This is because Jorginho was able to score thanks to the Italian's run-and-hop tactic, which tricks goalkeepers into diving to one side. He approaches the ball intelligently as well. Jorginho simply places the ball beyond the keeper's grasp if he won't move! Since joining Chelsea, he has assumed responsibility for Stamford Bridge's penalty kicks and rarely misses—especially when it's crucial. Jorginho also takes the Italian national team's official penalties, but he has missed a few that have cost the Azzurri dearly.

2. Neymar

Neymar is an all-around set-piece expert who can take corner kicks, penalties, and free kicks with ease. The official penalty taker for both Brazil and PSG is the mercurial number 10. He is so dependable that he has continued to handle penalty duties even after Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, and Kylian Mbappe moved to Paris. Neymar is exceptional because of his composure when taking penalties under extreme pressure.

3. Harry Kane

One of the top attackers in the world is Harry Kane. In every competition he competes in, he is constantly vying for the Golden Boot. He was the leading scorer at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and has won the Premier League Golden Boot multiple times. Kane is always taking penalties for both club and country in order to get an advantage over his Golden Boot-pursuing competitors. And he's really skilled at carrying them out. When taking penalties, Harry Kane likes to shoot for power, making it difficult for goalkeepers to make a stop.

4. Bruno Fernandes

Bruno Fernandes moved from Sporting Lisbon to Manchester United and made an immediate impact. It was natural that he would be given set-piece responsibilities after he quickly established himself as the Red Devils' top player. Bruno seldom misses penalties and is particularly dangerous when taking free kicks from inside the 18-yard area. The Portuguese player is unique in that he can play penalties in a variety of ways, making him unpredictable. He has had fewer opportunities to take penalties at Old Trafford since Cristiano Ronaldo arrived. But he almost never misses when he takes it.

5. Robert Lewandowski

In recent years, Robert Lewandowski has undoubtedly been the best striker in the world. The Polish frequently set record after record in terms of goals. He doesn't hesitate to take penalties in order to increase his goal totals. He occasionally even accepts free kicks. Few penalties are missed by Lewandowski. At Bayern Munich, he was unstoppable, and he has brought that same form to Barcelona. 

6. Mohammad Salah

Mohamed Salah scores a lot of goals, and he always takes his team's penalties — for both Liverpool and Egypt — to help him do that. The well-known Muslim footballer is among the best wingers in the world as well as one of the game's top penalty shooters. The Egyptian ruler is incredibly trustworthy on the spot because he generally pursues power! Because of this, Salah frequently finds himself in the running for the Premier League's Golden Boot, which he has won several times.

7. Ciro Immobile

Italian striker Ciro Immobile is a prolific scorer. He consistently leads the Serie A in goals scored. Additionally, he is largely a contender for the European Golden Shoe, which is given to the player with the most points across all first-division European leagues. Immobile frequently and frequently takes penalties in an effort to increase his goal total. And he is adept at persuading them in any situation. Immobile is one of the world's most underappreciated football players, nevertheless.

8. Karim Benzema

Karim had to wait for the right moment to advance. He is willing to make a sacrifice for the team as a whole. He is now finally getting paid for being Sergio Ramos' backup and letting him take penalties for Cristiano Ronaldo. Since Benzema is in charge of taking penalties for Real, he scores frequently and rarely misses. As seen by his Panenka penalty against Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League semifinals last year, the Frenchman is always composed under pressure.

9. Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo is growing older and stepping down from the stage to make room for a younger generation. He was the ultimate goal-scoring machine in his prime. In his prime, Ronaldo loved to take free kicks and penalties, but he is currently only consistent from 12 yards (penalties). When he returned to Manchester United, he replaced his countryman Bruno Fernandes in charge of handling penalties, yet when CR7 is on the pitch, the squad rarely wins penalties! He will be higher on the list of all-time penalty takers, but he is low on this list only because 2022 was given a lot of consideration. However, Cristiano Ronaldo is without a doubt one of football's best penalty-takers.

10. Lionel Messi

Similar to Ronaldo, Lionel Messi ranks poorly in 2022 since he hasn't taken many penalties. He wasn't designated as the official penalty taker when he joined PSG, unlike when he played for Barcelona. Neymar is now performing penalty work in Paris. This makes sense given that Neymar is PSG's more dependable 12-yard shooter than Messi. Even so, Lionel Messi continues to be among the best in the world at taking penalties, and he has converted three of his most recent ones for Argentina. 

11. Robin van Persie

Robin van Persie, a former Arsenal, and current Manchester United player, is incredibly effective at turning chances. Simply said, the Dutchman has enough grace to capitalize on a number of his opportunities. Therefore, it is no longer surprising that van Persie does well in penalty scenarios. The Red Devil frequently uses his exquisite left foot for penalties that are intended into the bottom corner.

12. Graham Alexander

Born in Coventry, England, Graham Alexander has a reputation for being strong and enduring. He played defensive midfielder and right back for a long time in football. Alexander was a penalty kick expert in addition to being able to play match after match without skipping a beat.  He consistently began his run to the ball beyond the box and found the back of the net without hesitation.

13. Mario Balotelli

The volatile In his early career, Mario Balotelli still has a lot of football to play.  He does not have as many attempts at penalties as some of the more experienced players on this list. Balotelli, however, has made a big impression in the short time he has been the go-to penalty kick taker. The Italian makes a beautiful fake in the shot shown above, just before calmly putting the ball into the goal. There will surely be more from Balotelli for the stripe in this mold.

14. Leighton Baines

Leighton Baines, an English international and Everton back, can maneuver from a distance of 12 yards. The inside of the left foot is typically used to make contact with the ball by the left footer, who favors accuracy above pure force. That is not to suggest that his penalty kicks are feeble; rather, they are controlled and pace the custodian just enough to make it difficult for him to miss.  Almost always, he'll make the opposition custodian make a save.

15. Jose Luis Chilavert

Jose Luis Chilavert, the lone custodian on this list, was a daring and confident expert at taking penalty kicks. A custodian who is that willing and skilled from the penalty spot is uncommon in today's sport. Considering how it felt to be a custodian facing an advancing shot, one has to ask if Chilavert had an advantage mentally when taking penalties.