In brief
The list of players with the most penalties scored includes some of the best goal scorers in Premier League history.
Cole Palmer might make it into the top 10 sooner rather than later, based on his outstanding ability to take spots for Chelsea.
In the history of the Premier League, Alan Shearer has scored the most penalties.
Even though it seems simple, taking a penalty kick is a difficult endeavour. Sometimes it’s a make-or-break moment, with thousands of people watching you walk up from 12 yards out and the weight of a fanbase’s expectations on your shoulders. When given the responsibility of notching from the spot, some players falter while others are as good as they come.
It’s more than just a goal, isn’t it? Cole Palmer, a former Manchester City player and current Chelsea player, has shown himself to be calm and collected in recent seasons, particularly since moving to west London. As previously stated, just a handful are able to handle the extra strain.
Although Palmer’s consistency from the penalty spot is well known, the 22-year-old still has a ways to go before he can rank in the top 10 in the Premier League for the most penalties scored since the 1992 reorganisation. Check out the list below, which includes Wayne Rooney and Mohamed Salah.
The Premier League’s All-Time High for Penalties
Rank
The player
Famous Clubs
Scored Penalties
1.
Shearer, Alan
Southampton and Newcastle United
56
2.
Lampard, Frank
West Ham United and Chelsea
43
3.
Kane, Harry
Both Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur
33
4.
Salah Mohamed
Chelsea and Liverpool
32
5.
Gerrard, Steven
Liverpool
31
6.
Mark Noble
United West Ham
28
7 =
Aguero Sergio
City of Manchester
27
7 =
Vardy, Jamie
City of Leicester
27
9.
Le Tissier, Matt
Southampton
25
10 =
Rooney, Wayne
Everton and Manchester United
23
10 =
Henry Thierry
The Arsenal
23
11 Premier League penalty total for Thierry Henry: 23
Thierry Henry was Arsenal’s preferred player up top from 1999 to 2007. He may have had the ideal rapport with Dutchman Dennis Bergkamp, but he was the talisman that Arsene Wenger relied on, regardless of whether the north Londoners needed strength to finish off a chance or sheer speed to leave defenders in their wake.
With 175 goals in the Premier League, the Frenchman, who is regarded as one of the greatest centre strikers in football’s lengthy and illustrious history, understood where the goal was. But he hit 23 times and was just as dangerous from 12 yards out. The former Barcelona player’s coolness was undeniable, even though he wasn’t as productive as other people on this list.
Premier League Statistics for Thierry Henry
Looks
258
Objectives
175
Scored penalties
23
10 Wayne Rooney’s Premier League total of 23 penalties
The name of renowned England forward Wayne Rooney may not come as a surprise to Premier League fans. While playing in England’s top division, the Manchester United icon, who is the team’s all-time leading scorer, scored 23 goals from the penalty spot at Old Trafford and Everton’s Goodison Park, which is regarded as one of the greatest venues in Premier League history.
It may come as a surprise that during his illustrious career, Rooney only scored 23 goals from the penalty spot despite scoring 208 goals in the league. With Liverpool-born Rooney missing an additional 11 penalties, this number may have been greater for the Englishman, who is now looking to return to club management following a fruitless stint at Birmingham City.
Premier League Statistics for Wayne Rooney
Games
491
Objectives
208
Scored penalties
23
9 Matt Le Tissier’s Premier League total of 25 penalties
Perhaps underappreciated, Matt Le Tissier’s love for Southampton, his first senior club, prevented him from ever moving on in his career. He joined as a young player and left 16 years later, having played in more than 500 games, 270 of which were in the Premier League. He hit a hundred shots as a marksman.
And a penalty accounted for a fourth of those twenty-five. Throughout his career at the pinnacle of the English game, he missed just one chance from the coveted position, which is impressive in and of itself. That was Le Tissier’s third Premier League goal, saved by Nottingham Forest glove bearer Mark Crossley, and his record didn’t slow down after that.
Premier League Statistics by Matt Le Tissier
Games
270
Objectives
One hundred
Scored penalties
25
8 Sergio Aguero Premier League total of 27 penalties
It should come as no surprise that Argentine forward Sergio Aguero ranks fairly among the top players on this list. The Argentine scored the most significant goal in Manchester City’s history on the last day of the 2011–2012 season against QPR to win the league title. Aguero joined the team from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2011 and quickly became a success.
Aguero fooled opposing goalkeepers with his relatively calm approach from 12 yards out, scoring 27 goals from the penalty spot. During his tenure in England, the Argentine missed just six penalties before his brief transfer to FC Barcelona was cut short by health issues that ultimately resulted in Aguero’s retirement.
With 184 goals for City under his belt, the dazzling forward, who won over the Etihad Stadium supporters with his countless scores, will also be remembered as a Premier League great. He is the epitome of a top-tier striker.
Premier League Statistics for Sergio Aguero
Games
275
Objectives
184
Scored penalties
27
7 Jamie Vardy’s Premier League total of 27 penalties
Jamie Vardy, a forward for Leicester City, is also on the list. Vardy will be remembered as one of the greatest English attackers to have ever played in the division, and his journey from non-league football to ultimate Foxes championship winner is widely known.
The 37-year-old Englishman, who scored 20 goals for Leicester last season, is still going strong, and his 27 goals from the penalty spot is an amazing accomplishment. Vardy may increase his number of penalties as Leicester guaranteed an immediate return to the Premier League.
Vardy has 143 goals and 46 assists in 337 league games for Leicester, and with the Midlands team returning to the top tier of England, you wouldn’t bet on the seasoned forward reaching the 150-goal milestone.
Premier League Statistics for Jamie Vardy
Games
330
Objectives
143
Scored penalties
27
6 Mark Noble Total Premier League points scored: 28
At number six, he is a West Ham United legend rather than a top-tier striker. With 28 goals from the 12-yard spot, English midfielder Mark Noble is a Hammers hero and was extremely reliable for the east London team.
The Englishman, who came through the club’s renowned academy system, spent 17 straight seasons playing midfield for the Hammers before retiring at the end of the previous campaign. With seven goals in the league, the 2015–2016 season was his highest scoring season for West Ham.
Because of his dependability in the middle of the park, he eventually became captain of the east London team and missed just five penalties in the Premier League while playing for the Hammers. Even though he may not have as many goals as some of the other players on our list, he will undoubtedly go down as a West Ham legend.
Mark Noble: Statistics for the Premier League
Games
414
Objectives
47
Scored penalties
28
5 Steven Gerrard’s Premier League total of 31 penalties
The legendary midfielder Steven Gerrard of Liverpool has secured a spot in the top five of this list. Like Noble, Gerrard advanced through the club’s academy system and undoubtedly became one of the Premier League’s greatest midfielders.
Gerrard scored 31 goals from the penalty spot during his time at Anfield, and the Englishman gained a stellar reputation for his skills in dead ball situations. There is no question that the Liverpool icon will undoubtedly rank highly in the ongoing discussion about who is superior between Gerrard, Paul Scholes, and Frank Lampard.
In the Premier League, Gerrard only missed seven of the penalties he took for Liverpool. In a 3-0 victory over their bitter rivals Manchester United in 2014, the midfielder missed the base of the post, missing a chance to score a hat-trick of penalties for the Reds. Nevertheless, Gerrard will go down as one of the greatest Premier League players and a reliable penalty-scoring striker.
Statistics for Steven Gerrard in the Premier League
Games
504
Objectives
121
Scored penalties
31
4 Mohamed Salah Total Premier League points scored: 32
Mohamed Salah, an Egyptian winger, was a genuine Premier League failure during his time at Chelsea under Jose Mourinho, who never appeared to like the youthful winger. He later moved to Liverpool to play for Jurgen Klopp. He has, however, been incredibly confident from the start and has converted most of his chances since referring to the red side of Merseyside as “home.”
Salah has emerged as an undeniable legend after returning to the Premier League after a highly successful stint at AS Roma in Italy. Throughout his tenure in the division, Salah has scored 179 goals and provided 83 assists, including 32 goals from the penalty spot. The 32-year-old is a reliable presence for the Reds from 12 yards out.
Premier League Statistics for Mohamed Salah
Games
320
Objectives
213
Scored penalties
32
3 Harry Kane’s total of 33 Premier League penalties
It should come as no surprise that former Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane has risen to the top of this list, and if he ever makes a comeback, he has a good chance of winning. The English forward is among the most productive forwards in Premier League history, along with Alan Shearer.
Without a doubt, the attacker would have surpassed Shearer’s goalscoring record if he had remained at Spurs or moved elsewhere in the league, as he has scored 213 goals in England’s top flight. Kane scored 33 goals from the penalty spot for Spurs and, astonishingly, missed only four of the team’s penalties.
Born in London, the striker moved to Bayern Munich last summer in the hopes of finally winning a league championship, but Bayer Leverkusen, led by Xabi Alonso, defeated the Bavarian team. Despite this, Kane will always be regarded as a Premier League legend with an outstanding on-field record.
Premier League Statistics for Harry Kane
Games
320
Objectives
213
Scored penalties
33
2 Premier League penalty total for Frank Lampard: 43
Frank Lampard, the former Chelsea star, ranks number two on our list and will always be a factor in discussions about the greatest English midfielder to have ever played in the top level. Following his transfer from West Ham United to Stamford Bridge, the midfield player showed a remarkable talent for making last-minute runs into the penalty area and scoring crucial goals for the Blues.
Lampard scored 43 goals from the penalty spot during his tenure in West London, and he missed relatively few of his attempts throughout his time with Chelsea in the league.
Lampard, an Englishman, is the club’s all-time top goalscorer in all competitions with 211 goals, despite playing as a midfielder for the Blues under multiple different managers. He also contributed 104 assists. Lampard finished second on this list despite having an outstanding record from the spot.
Premier League Statistics for Frank Lampard
Games
609.
Objectives
177
Scored penalties
43
1 Alan Shearer’s Premier League total of 56 penalties
Those who predicted that Alan Shearer, the Premier League’s all-time leading scorer, would also lead the English top division in penalties scored since 1992 would not receive a gold medal. Shearer, a graduate of Southampton, was the master and the goal was to finish.
When the Englishman came through on goal, there was usually just one possible outcome; the same is true when he stood over the ball from 12 yards out. There were 56 strikes from the spot out of his 260 total. There is no denying his Premier League-high total, even though he also missed 11 shots, which caused his conversion rate to fall to 82.58%.
Premier League Statistics by Alan Shearer
Games
441
Objectives
260
Scored penalties
56
