Lionel Messi has relied heavily on penalties this season.
Five of the Argentinian’s six goals for Barcelona this season have come from the penalty spot.
Penaldo? More like Pessi.
The six-time Ballon d’Or winner has a pretty sketchy record from 12 yards but he’s scored his last 10, and he’s been thankful for the opportunities this season.
However, he won’t fancy viewing a list of the 40 players who have missed the most penalties in the 21st century.
He ranks first on the list, which has been shared by Transfermarkt, having missed 27 of his 126 attempts.
Also featuring in the top 10 are Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Frank Lampard and Sergio Aguero.
Check out the full list…
40. Eden Hazard
Penalties missed: 8
Total penalties: 60
Miss percentage: 13.3%
39. Ciro Immobile
Penalties missed: 8
Total penalties: 47
Miss percentage: 17%
38. Fabio Quagliarella
Penalties missed: 8
Total penalties: 46
Miss percentage: 17.4%
=36. Samuel Eto’o
Penalties missed: 8
Total penalties: 45
Miss percentage: 17.8%
=36. Radamel Falcao
Penalties missed: 8
Total penalties: 45
Miss percentage: 17.8%
35. Thomas Muller
Penalties missed: 8
Total penalties: 39
Miss percentage: 20.5%
34. Fernando Torres
Penalties missed: 8
Total penalties: 36
Miss percentage: 22.2%
33. Raul Tamudo
Penalties missed: 8
Total penalties: 35
Miss percentage: 22.9%
=30. Frederic Kanoute
Penalties missed: 8
Total penalties: 33
Miss percentage: 24.2%
=30. Carlos Tevez
Penalties missed: 8
Total penalties: 33
Miss percentage: 24.2%
=30. Max Gradel
Penalties missed: 8
Total penalties: 33
Miss percentage: 24.2%
29. Diego Forlan
Penalties missed: 8
Total penalties: 32
Miss percentage: 25%
=27. Jermain Defoe
Penalties missed: 8
Total penalties: 28
Miss percentage: 28.6%
=27. Diego
Penalties missed: 8
Total penalties: 28
Miss percentage: 28.6%
26. Carlos Bacca
Penalties missed: 8
Total penalties: 26
Miss percentage: 30.8%
25. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
Penalties missed: 8
Total penalties: 24
Miss percentage: 33.3%
24. Antonio Cassano
Penalties missed: 8
Total penalties: 20
Miss percentage: 40%
23. Steven Gerrard
Penalties missed: 9
Total penalties: 59
Miss percentage: 15.3%
22. David Villa
Penalties missed: 9
Total penalties: 56
Miss percentage: 16.1%
21. Dani Parejo
Penalties missed: 9
Total penalties: 41
Miss percentage: 22%
20. Gonzalo Higuain
Penalties missed: 9
Total penalties: 32
Miss percentage: 28.1%
19. Luca Toni
Penalties missed: 9
Total penalties: 28
Miss percentage: 32.1%
18. Marek Hamsik
Penalties missed: 9
Total penalties: 24
Miss percentage: 37.5%
17. Neymar
Penalties missed: 10
Total penalties: 56
Miss percentage: 17.9%
16. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Penalties missed: 10
Total penalties: 46
Miss percentage: 21.7%
15. Aritz Aduriz
Penalties missed: 10
Total penalties: 45
Miss percentage: 22.2%
14. Andrea Pirlo
Penalties missed: 10
Total penalties: 34
Miss percentage: 29.4%
13. Antoine Griezmann
Penalties missed: 10
Total penalties: 30
Miss percentage: 33.3%
12. Marco Di Vaio
Penalties missed: 10
Total penalties: 23
Miss percentage: 43.5%
11. Ruud van Nistelrooy
Penalties missed: 11
Total penalties: 53
Miss percentage: 20.8%
10. Sergio Aguero
Penalties missed: 12
Total penalties: 61
Miss percentage: 19.7%
9. Frank Lampard
Penalties missed: 13
Total penalties: 80
Miss percentage: 16.3%
8. Ronaldinho
Penalties missed: 13
Total penalties: 68
Miss percentage: 19.1%
7. Wayne Rooney
Penalties missed: 13
Total penalties: 53
Miss percentage: 24.5%
6. Edinson Cavani
Penalties missed: 14
Total penalties: 73
Miss percentage: 19.2%
5. Antonio Di Natale
Penalties missed: 15
Total penalties: 58
Miss percentage: 25.9%
4. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Penalties missed: 16
Total penalties: 92
Miss percentage: 17.4%
3. Francesco Totti
Penalties missed: 19
Total penalties: 99
Miss percentage: 19.2%
2. Cristiano Ronaldo
Penalties missed: 27
Total penalties: 162
Miss percentage: 16.7%
1. Lionel Messi
Penalties missed: 27
Total penalties: 126
Miss percentage: 21.4%
So despite being the most prolific players of the 21st century, Messi and Ronaldo have missed more penalties than any other player.
Who would have thought it...