Ranking the 5 best penalty takers of all time
Though it might look easy to viewers, converting from the spot is no mean feat. Goalkeepers do whatever they can to throw the penalty taker off his game and there won't be many complaints even if he concedes.
However, if the penalty taker misses from the spot, he will be given an incredible amount of stick in addition to having to harbour the guilt of missing a great chance to score for his side. On the big stage, you need nerves of steel to keep your calm when the world is watching to win this battle of wits and technique.
As such, almost every club or international side has a specialist penalty taker who they hope will step up and deliver whenever called upon. On that note, let's take a look at five of the best penalty takers of all time.
#5 Zlatan Ibrahimovic
The lion, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, needs no introduction. One of the most interesting personalities in the world of football, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has kept us entertained both on and off the field for close to two decades now.
Ibrahimovic is undoubtedly one of the finest strikers of his generation and over the course of his journeyman career, he has scored some of the greatest goals we've seen and he has done that at ridiculous rates.
He is an incredible athlete who has scored some stunning acrobatic goals in his career but he has also been adept at doing the simple things with aplomb. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has a big personality and a winning mentality and this reflects in the way he has consistently delivered in clutch situations.
Zlatan has converted 83 out of 97 penalties that he has taken and it is unusual for anyone else to be taking spot kicks when the Swede is around.
#4 Francesco Totti
Francesco Totti is seen as a national treasure in the city of Rome. Totti spent his entire career playing for AS Roma and had a spectacular career. He played a key role in Italy's 2006 FIFA World Cup triumph as well.
Totti was a fantastic striker and scored a total of 307 goals for his club over the course of his career. His skills weren't limited to the striking department though. He was excellent with the ball at his feet, possessed great technique and vision and could pick a pass too.
Francesco Totti was also one of the best penalty takers of all time. He has converted from the spot a whopping 86 times from a total 105 attempts. He also holds the record for the most number of penalties scored (71) in the Serie A.