Messi, Neymar, Ronaldo and Beckham: 11 of the biggest penalty misses in football history

Messi/Barcelona (2021): Despite a solid overall performance from Lionel Messi against PSG on Wednesday, during the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 clash, a missed penalty from Leo is all anyone’s talking about. Replays show Marco Verratti, who ultimately headed the ball clear of the penalty box, encroaching into the D of the penalty area - cause for it to be retaken. Messi currently tops the list of most penalties missed in the 21st century, with 28 total. But he’s certainly not the first or last big name to miss a vital spot-kick...

Zlatan Ibrahimovic/AC Milan (2020): Zlatan Ibrahimovic typically considers himself the man to get the job done, whatever the job may be. But the Swedish international admitted defeated last year when he missed a crucial penalty for AC Milan against Hellas Verona. “I missed a penalty and I think I’m leaving the next one to [Frank] Kessie. That would be better,” said Ibra. “Fortunately, the break for international duty is here, because I need rest. I didn’t have the sharpness and usual determination I have in front of goal. I just felt like I wasn’t all there.”

Edinson Cavani/PSG (2019): If there’s anything worse than missing a penalty — it’s asking Neymar to give you a penalty and then missing it, anyway. That’s what happened when PSG faced off with French club ESTAC in 2019. The missed chance went viral on social media because of Edinson putting in a specific request to take it.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang/Arsenal (2019): There’s something especially excruciating about a missed penalty at a derby match. That’s why Aubameyang’s missed chance at Wembley last year against the Spurs, ending in a 1-1 draw, was so memorable. “My son was wishing me to score in that game, that was the opportunity.. I came home and he told me no worries you’ll score in the next one,” reflected Auba after. “Feel sorry but at the same time I feel proud of what the team did and I’m a team player since day one, so let’s go forward and keep the head up.”

Cristiano Ronaldo/Portugal (2016): Ronaldo — who has the second-highest number of missed penalties in the 21st century, after Messi — hit a new low against Austria during the Uefa Euro 2016, in what became known as the “worst penalty-taking season of his career”. It marked his fourth penalty miss out of five that season; the most he’d missed before in a single season was three. The match ended in a goalless draw.

Ronaldinho/Brazil (2013): A month after Ronaldinho’s missed penalty for Brazil in 2013 at Wembley Stadium, ending in a 2-1 result in England’s favour, the legendary player was dropped from Brazil’s squad. At the time, Ronaldinho said that goal keeper Joe Hart “deceived him”. It ended in England’s first victory over Brazil in nearly a quarter of a century.

Neymar/Brazil (2012): Neymar’s 2012 penalty fumble was so astonishing that the media dubbed it ‘extraordinary’. Luckily, it happened during a friendly against Colombia in New Jersey. The Brazilian seemed to be aiming at the sky, as his shot rocketed several metres above the cross bar, nowhere near where it needed to be. The misfire ultimately resulted in a 1-1 draw.

Wayne Rooney/Manchester United (2010): The subject of discussion after Wayne Rooney’s missed penalty during Manchester United’s shootout defeat to Middlesbrough was a green laser pen pointed at his face. The FA launched a probe into the incident, as Wayne appeared to have a bright laser shone into his face seconds before the misfire. By 2013, Rooney had passed penalty duty onto Robin Van Persie, saying his own penalty-taking history “wasn’t good enough”.

Frank Lampard/England (2006): Frank Lampard’s infamously heartbreaking 2006 World Cup fumble led to a quarterfinal defeat at the hands of Portugal. Years later he said he was still haunted by it. “I thought too much about the penalty, especially the night before. I was thinking, if I got a penalty, what would I do?” he recalled. “I wanted the ground to swallow me up. The journey home seemed the longest, loneliest, quietest of my life. I felt I'd let my teammates and my country down.”

David Beckham/England (2004): It was referred to as a ‘disaster’ penalty against Portugal as Beckham sent the ball flying over the crossbar and into the stands, culminating in England’s elimination from the Euro 2004. But it eventually paid off for one man: Spaniard Pablo Carral, who caught the ball and snuck it home, reportedly got a bid of £1.8 million online.

Gareth Southgate/England (1996): 20 years before he became England’s manager, a young Gareth Southgate cost England a spot in the Euro 96 final. Southgate was sixth in line during the shootout against Germany, and after his attempt was easily blocked, Andreas Moller scored the opposition’s winning goal. In 2018, England reached the semi-finals of the World Cup under Southgate’s leadership, which helped him get over the past. ‘People used to poke their heads out of vans and shout things at me in the street. I had a 20-year playing career but I was really only ever remembered for that one moment. That’s what made this summer [at the World Cup] even better because I felt like I had a debt to pay,’ he said.