There’s always a lot of talk in football about penalties.
Who is the best penalty taker in the world? Who has taken and scored the most? Well, thanks to the below database there’s definite answers to those questions.
The below table shows the number of penalties scored, missed, taken and the resulting conversion rate for the best footballers across the world.
It includes the best penalty-takers in the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and Europe’s other top leagues.
If a table isn’t your thing then check out our top 10 best penalty takers in the world ranked, which is based on the below data.
By default, the table is sorted by penalties scored but can be sorted by conversion rate by simply clicking on that column.
These penalty stats are correct up until January 13th 2023.
| Player | Penalties Scored |
Penalties Missed |
Penalties Taken |
Conversion Rate |
|---|
The data in this table comes from Transfermarkt. It does not include penalties from club-friendly games or any penalty shootout.
Which Player Has the Best Penalty Conversion Rate?
There are a lot of players with a perfect penalty record but not many who have taken a lot.
Of players who have taken 10 or more, only 6 have a 100% record.
The players with a 100% record and therefore the best penalty conversion rate are:
- Vincent Aboubakar – 15 of 15
- Kai Havertz – 14 of 14
- Philippe Coutinho – 12 of 12
- Sofiane Boufal – 12 of 12
- Darwin Nunez – 11 of 11
- Junior Stanislas – 10 of 10
Interestingly, some of them don’t penalties for their respective clubs.
Jorginho still takes them for Chelsea, Danny Ings/Ollie Watkins for Aston Villa, and Mohamed Salah for Liverpool.
Meanwhile, Stanislas rarely features for Bournemouth but would presumably take the penalty should he be on the pitch when they win one.
Other players who have a perfect penalty record are Andros Townsend, Anwar El-Ghazi, Steven Bergwijn, and Mason Mount. The latter has only taken two, though.
Messi vs Ronaldo Penalties
If the best penalty-taker is determined by the number of penalties scored, then Cristiano Ronaldo is better from the spot than Lionel Messi.
Ronaldo also has a superior conversion rate, scoring 83% of his career penalties. Messi has scored 78% of his pens.