7 best Panenkas scored in crucial situations
Lionel Messi’s penalty against Getafe was called the best Panenka by the creator himselfThe Panenka is one of the riskiest penalty techniques in football. It may look like easy work, and might not seem very skilful either, but the nerve required to execute such a penalty is beyond compare. In this technique, the run up to the ball remains the same as any penalty, but instead of kicking the ball directly into the goal trajectory, the player nonchalantly lobs the ball into the middle of the net. The unexpected move will deceive the keeper, and even though the slow speed of the ball gives him a chance to get back into position, he will stand no chance if the panenka is pulled off to perfection.The technique was a logical choice for its creator Antonin Panenka, and when asked about why he used it, he said, “I chose the penalty because I saw and realised it was the easiest and simplest recipe for scoring a goal. It is a simple recipe.” Countless players have tried to duplicate Panenka’s technique, with varying degrees of success. So with that in mind, here are some of the best Panenkas that were scored in high-pressure situations -
#1 Antonin Panenka (Czechoslovakia vs Germany), Euro 1976
The best Panenka penalty will always belong to its creator: Antonin Panenka. The move was named after him after he debuted it for the first time while playing for Czechoslovakia against Germany in the 1976 European Championship final.
He tricked German goalkeeper Sepp Maier to score the final penalty of the 5-3 penalty shootout, which won his nation the title. It was the first penalty shootout that Germany had ever taken part in, and it remains the only time they have ever lost one.
The self-belief and audacity with which he attempted something like that, that too in a final, was incredible.