10 Footballers with the Most Missed Penalties Since 2001

September 17, 2025 Kris Isaksen

Scoring from the penalty spot may seem simple, but even the world’s top players have faltered under pressure. From last-minute blunders to high-stakes heartbreaks, missed penalties can haunt a footballer’s legacy. Here’s a countdown of the ten players who have missed the most penalties since 2001 — ranked from 10 to 1.

10. Sergio Aguero – 14 Penalties Missed

Sergio Agüero — Cosmin Iftode / Shutterstock.com

Sergio Aguero had a respectable 77.4% conversion rate, scoring 48 penalties across his career. Still, his 14 misses — including a notorious panenka attempt against Chelsea in 2021 — are hard to forget.

9. Antonio Di Natale – 14 Penalties Missed

Di Natale also missed 14 penalties, but with a slightly lower 75.8% success rate than Aguero. The Italian legend is remembered more for his consistent goal-scoring in Serie A than his rare spot-kick blunders.

8. Edinson Cavani – 16 Penalties Missed

Cavani’s 79.5% conversion rate is solid, yet he has missed 16 penalties throughout his career. While he was Napoli’s main taker, at PSG and Manchester United he often had to step aside for bigger names.

7. Ronaldinho – 16 Penalties Missed

Ronaldinho wasn’t best known for his penalties, but he still missed 16 during his career. Though three of those came before 2001, his laid-back style didn’t always translate to spot-kick success.

6. Zlatan Ibrahimović – 17 Penalties Missed

Zlatan took an incredible 104 penalties and missed 17, with a conversion rate of 83.6%. The Swedish icon never shied away from taking responsibility, but even he succumbed to the pressure at times.

5. Francesco Totti – 18 Penalties Missed

Totti had an excellent record from the spot, converting over 80% of his efforts and finishing his career with 13 consecutive penalties scored. Still, his 18 misses across a long career put him high on this list.

4. Ciro Immobile – 19 Penalties Missed

Immobile has been Lazio’s go-to man for years and is their all-time top scorer, yet he’s missed 19 penalties. His 80.3% success rate reflects both his volume of attempts and moments of inconsistency.

3. Neymar – 22 Penalties Missed

Neymar has scored 91 penalties with an 80.5% conversion rate, but he’s also missed 22. His signature slow run-up and focus on placement sometimes backfires — even for one of the game’s best.

2. Lionel Messi – 32 Penalties Missed

Messi has delivered in major moments, including four goals from the spot in Argentina’s 2022 World Cup run. But with 32 misses, including a painful one in the 2016 Copa America final, he’s second on the list.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo – 33 Penalties Missed

Despite an elite 84.4% conversion rate, Ronaldo has missed more penalties than any player since 2001. His most recent miss for Portugal was one of his worst — proof that even legends have off days.