Although it may not seem like it, scoring a penalty is one of the most difficult tasks in soccer. Yes, scoring a goal from open play requires more awareness and agility, but winning the mental battle against the goalkeeper during a penalty kick is not any easier. Things get infinitely tougher when one needs to score a clutch penalty in the most-watched cup competition in Europe, the UEFA Champions League.
Below, we will take a look at five attackers who have shown tremendous mental fortitude to score a handsome number of penalties in the UEFA Champions League. Here are the top five players with the most penalties scored in Champions League history:
#5 Sergio Aguero – 11 Penalties
Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero failed to taste Champions League success, but it was not due to a lack of trying. Aguero played 79 games in the UEFA Champions League between Atletico Madrid, Manchester City, and Barcelona, scoring 41 times and providing nine assists.
During his UEFA Champions League career, Aguero took a total of 15 penalties, converting 11 and missing just four of them.
#4 Ruud van Nistelrooy – 11 Penalties
Manchester United legend Ruud van Nistelrooy was one of the best center-forwards of his time. He was graceful with the ball, had the ability to score from all angles, and had a penchant for creating chances as well.
His world-class abilities regularly came to the fore in the UEFA Champions League. He scored 56 times and provided 18 assists in just 73 games across competitions. Eleven of his 56 goals came from the penalty spot.
#3 Robert Lewandowski – 16 Penalties
The only player on this list who has a chance of moving higher up the rankings this season, Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski has scored 16 penalties in the UEFA Champions League so far. He also happens to be the most efficient penalty-taker on here, with him missing just one penalty over the years.
Lewandowski is the third-leading scorer in the history of the UEFA Champions League, having scored an impressive 91 goals in 111 games across Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Borussia Dortmund. His only Champions League triumph came with Bayern Munich in the 2019-20 season.
#2 Lionel Messi – 18 Penalties
One of the best players in history and the second-leading scorer in UEFA Champions League history, Lionel Messi converted 18 penalties in the competition before leaving Europe for Inter Miami in July. During his Champions League career, Messi missed a total of five penalties.
Messi, 36, has played 163 matches in the UEFA Champions League, scoring an impressive 129 times and providing 45 assists. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain superstar has won the competition four times, with his successes coming in 2006, 2009, 2011, and 2015.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo – 19 Penalties
Having converted a whopping 19 spot kicks, Cristiano Ronaldo currently holds the record for scoring the most number of penalties in UEFA Champions League history. The Portugal icon, who presently plies his trade at Al-Nassr, missed three penalties during his record-breaking run in the UEFA Champions League.
The 38-year-old superstar is also credited with the records for scoring the most goals and claiming the most assists in the competition’s history. Between Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, Ronaldo scored 140 goals and provided 42 assists in 183 games.
To top it off, Ronaldo is also a five-time winner of the prestigious cup competition. He won it first with Manchester United in 2008 before winning it four more times with Real Madrid between 2014 and 2018.
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