Ah, penalties in football – always such a nerve-racking moment, ain’t it? Now, some folks have missed quite a few of those kicks, bless their hearts. Missing penalties? Well, even the big names done it more than you’d think! So let me tell you all about them who’s missed the most penalties in football history, and don’t be surprised if some familiar faces pop up.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
Now, talkin’ about penalties missed, you can’t skip Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. These two fellas? Oh, they’re legends, no doubt about it. But they’re also known to have missed their fair share of penalties. Messi, for instance, he’s missed over 30 penalties in his career. Imagine that! That’s a lot for a fella who’s usually so good at everything he does. Ronaldo, he ain’t far behind neither, with plenty of missed penalties of his own. Now, I ain’t sayin’ they’re bad at it – heavens no! They just took so many penalties in their careers, a few were bound to go wide or get saved.
Alan Shearer
Next up, we got Alan Shearer. Now, he’s remembered as one of the best penalty-takers, especially in the Premier League, but he didn’t score every single one of them, you know? Out of 67 attempts, he made 56 goals from the spot, missin’ just enough for folks to remember. Shearer’s still a legend in Premier League history for his penalty skills, but hey, even he wasn’t perfect. That’s just the way it goes, I reckon.
Sergio Agüero
Oh, Sergio Agüero – the Manchester City hero! That lad scored a heap of goals, but he missed a few penalties, too. Now, he didn’t miss as many as some others, but his misses were usually talked about, ’cause folks just don’t expect a top striker like him to mess up. But you know, even Agüero couldn’t dodge a miss or two. I think he missed around 9 penalties in his career, and for someone who’s taken as many as he has, that’s not too shabby at all.
Francesco Totti

And then there’s Francesco Totti from Italy. Goodness, what a player he was! Totti’s known as one of Italy’s finest, but when it came to penalties, well, he wasn’t perfect either. Out of all the penalties he took, he ended up missin’ about 18. I reckon he’d be a bit embarrassed about that number, but hey, even legends have their off days. But let’s be fair – 18 misses out of a whole bunch? Not bad at all, though it still landed him on the list.
Ronaldinho
And we all remember Ronaldinho, right? That Brazilian lad with the big ol’ grin. He was a magician with the ball, but even magicians sometimes fumble. Now, Ronaldinho didn’t take as many penalties as some of the others, but he did miss a fair few. His misses were rare enough, but they happened. Guess everyone has their weak spot, don’t they?
Zlatan Ibrahimović
Then, of course, there’s Zlatan Ibrahimović. Now, that man’s confidence is something else – thinks he’s just about the best at everything. But even Zlatan had his misses! He’s missed around 16 penalties, if you can believe that. Now, that’s not too many, considerin’ how long he’s been playin’. But for someone as proud as Zlatan, you bet he wasn’t too happy about each of those misses.
Honorable Mentions
- Wayne Rooney – a strong lad, but he’s had his misses too.
- Jamie Vardy – another great scorer, though he missed quite a few as well.
- Andriy Shevchenko – remember him? Great player, but penalties weren’t always his strong suit.
Why Do Even the Best Players Miss?
Now, you might be wonderin’, why do even the best players miss penalties? Well, let me tell ya, penalty takin’ is like a mind game. There’s pressure from the crowd, from their teammates, and from the fella guardin’ the goal. Some days, even the best players just don’t have that luck. And sometimes, those goalkeepers, they just guess right.
Conclusion
So, who’s missed the most penalties in football history? Well, it’s hard to pin down just one player ’cause so many greats had their share of misses. But it’s safe to say Messi and Ronaldo are right up there, with fellas like Alan Shearer, Totti, and Zlatan close behind. And ya know, missin’ a penalty or two doesn’t make ’em any less of a player. Just shows that even the best of the best are human, too.
Tags:[football, penalties, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, missed penalties, famous football players]