10 Best Penalty Takers in World Football (2025)

From a distance, penalties may appear simple, but they can be mentally taxing.
The top nine penalty-takers in the world have confidence in themselves, yet some of the finest players in the world aren’t very good from the spot.
Throughout his career, England teammate Ivan Toney has missed two games, while Cole Palmer has missed just one.
Drama, mayhem, and suspense are almost always captivating in the world of football. Sometimes the penalty spot is the key to winning the biggest trophies in the world, which is what the world’s best teams strive for. Everyone back home was devastated when Argentina defeated France on the spot to win the 2022 World Cup.

Players may experience emotional and nervous breakdowns when they take the pitch. Although scoring from 12 yards out may seem simple, there is a lot more to it than that. It is the player’s responsibility to try to fool the goalie into heading in the incorrect direction because mind games are involved. There are countless ways a football player might try to panenka it softly down the middle or go for power.

Naturally, some people are more talented than others. Because of this, we have compiled a list of the top 10 penalty takers in the world, along with all the details you need to understand how amazing they are. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, two of the best players of all time, do not appear since they have both missed more than 30 games over their careers. This is because it has only been ranked based on conversion rate. Ultimately, they will be retiring shortly anyhow.

10 CF Monterrey | Sergio Ramos Penalty conversion rate: 86%

One of the best defenders of all time is Sergio Ramos. He was a world-class fighter who used his fury to scare assailants, despite having a reckless side that many referred to as the “dark arts.” After winning everything he could during his time at Real Madrid, he returned to Sevilla, his boyhood club, before departing in the summer of 2024.

Although it was clear throughout his tenure at Seville that he might not be as productive in the back line as he once was, he still shown his value from the penalty spot. He is among the greatest goal scorers of all time, having scored 86% of his goals from the penalty spot. A multi-talented man.

Statistics for Sergio Ramos’ Penalty

Rate of Conversion

86%

Scored penalties

32

Missed penalties

5.

9Erling Haaland | Manchester City

Penalty conversion rate: 87.2%

Throughout his career, Erling Haaland has frequently been referred to be “robotic.” The former Borussia Dortmund striker is always at the right place at the right time, usually referring to his mobility and instinct in the final third. He seems to be programmed to know where to go, demonstrating the potency of Pep Guardiola’s coaching abilities. Guardiola is one of the best managers of all time.
Haaland has consistently put Man City in the lead throughout his career, missing just seven of the 55 penalties he has taken. The Norwegian, who is among the greatest players in the Premier League, knows when to use force, but he also rarely goes too.

Statistics on Erling Haaland Penalties

Rate of Conversion

87.2%

Scored penalties

48

Missed penalties

7.

8Hakan Calhanoglu | Inter Milan

Penalty conversion rate: 88.4%

Hakan Calhanoglu, a standout for Inter Milan and Turkey, has an 88.4% conversion record from his 52 attempted spot kicks, demonstrating how deadly they are when they come from 12 yards out. His ability to score from the penalty spot has grown to be a significant strength for the Nerazzurri, who used a Calhanoglu-converted penalty kick to lead them to a key 1-0 Champions League victory over Arsenal.

The 31-year-old is establishing himself as a dead-ball expert and is regarded as one of the world’s top free-kick takers. He continuously demonstrates that he is among the most underappreciated midfield players in Europe, both at home and on the largest continental stage, indicating that his skills are not limited to that.

Statistics on Hakan Calhanoglu’s Penalty

Rate of Conversion

88.4%

Scored penalties

46

Missed penalties

6.

7 Harry Kane | Bayern Munich 89% of penalties were converted

Undervalued, disrespected, and frequently used as a scapegoat. Even though it’s obvious that Harry Kane is among the top strikers in the world, he is always underappreciated in the football community despite all of his attributes. He may be regarded as one of the best attackers of all time by the time he retires, and his poise and assurance from the spot kick have only strengthened his case.

Kane likes to experiment; he will sometimes go for positioning and other times for power. His career has undoubtedly been marred by lost opportunities, like as the heartbreaking attempt against France in the 2022 World Cup that went over the bar to eliminate England, but it shouldn’t detract from his overall record. Personified dependability.

Statistics on Harry Kane’s Penalty

Rate of Conversion

89%

Scored penalties

89

Missed penalties

11.

6 Barcelona penalty conversion rate: 89.7% Robert Lewandowski

In football, Robert Lewandowski has won every title available. Having dominated in Germany with Bayern Munich and now enjoying life in sunny Barcelona on the Mediterranean coast, he had the career of his dreams. Like Kane, he was always dependable for maintaining his cool under pressure.
Throughout his career, he has scored 88 penalties and taken more than 95. The Polish striker always tried to go either direction, making it difficult to figure out what he was doing. This is an example of a predictable player. Few goalkeepers ever stopped him, and they hated it. It is highly probable that he will be hit with up to 100 penalties prior to his retirement.

Statistics on Robert Lewandowski’s Penalties

Rate of Conversion

89.7%

Scored penalties

88

Missed penalties

10.

5 Bruno Fernandes | Manchester United 90.5% of penalties were converted

With his poise in the last third, Bruno Fernandes can calm a squad in a chaotic world. Even if he has a darker side to his game, diving and always talking to the referee is what makes him one of the top midfielders in the world.

Since joining from Sporting Lisbon, he has been a vital member of Manchester United, and they have always relied on him to score from the penalty spot. Out of 63, Fernandes has scored 57 of them, yielding a 90.5% conversion rate. It is understandable why it is so high given his stutter in the run-up, which frequently surprises the goalkeepers.

Statistics for Bruno Fernandes’ Penalty

Rate of Conversion

90.5%

Scored penalties

57

Missed penalties

6.

4 Jose Pedro | Brighton & Hove Albion Conversion rate for penalties: 94.1%

Since their promotion to the Premier League in 2017, Brighton & Hove Albion has been one of the league’s feel-good stories. They have therefore consistently sought to make astute and astute acquisitions, and Joao Pedro is the perfect example of this way of thinking.

One of the Seagulls’ main players, the Brazilian has swiftly become a darling among the team’s ever-increasing fan base due to his dependability from the pitch. He has missed one penalty out of fifteen in his career. There is no reason to believe that he is not a world-class talent from a distance, even though the sample size may be smaller than that of other players on this list.

Joao Pedro Stats for Penalties

Rate of Conversion

94.1%

Scored penalties

16

Missed penalties

One

3 Conversion rate for penalties for Cole Palmer | Chelsea: 94.4%

Cole Palmer had never missed a penalty in his career until lately. The Manchester City star has took 18 shots and scored 17 goals in his brief but fruitful career thus far. These goals were all delivered with charisma and confidence, which most players lack from 12 yards out.

Although Chelsea was frequently given penalties during the 2023–24 campaign, Palmer’s relentless skill made it seem inevitable that they would score. When goalkeepers realise he has the mental advantage, he frequently rolls it into the bottom corner rather than using force, aggravating them. He is without a doubt one of the world’s top penalty takers, even though he missed his most recent attempt.

Statistics for Cole Palmer’s Penalty

Rate of Conversion

94.4%

Scored penalties

17

Missed penalties

One

2 Al-Ahli Penalty conversion rate: 95% Ivan Toney

Ivan Toney’s penalty versus Switzerland in the penalty shootout at Euro 2024 was the buzz of the town. The former Peterborough striker was the calmest person on the pitch despite the strain to advance to the semi-finals. He threw his attempt into the bottom corner without even looking at the ball, instead focussing on Yann Sommer’s eyes to distract him.

It perfectly captured his skill from the start, as he has only missed two in his career. With so many big teams vying for his services, Brentford was fortunate to have his dependability for so long. The Saudi Pro League’s Al-Ahli can count themselves blessed to have a monster from the spot play for them.

Statistics on Ivan Toney’s Penalty

Rate of Conversion

95%

Scored penalties

38

Missed penalties

2.

1Vitinha | Paris Saint-Germain

Penalty conversion rate: 100%