Brahim Diaz and the worst Panenka penalty misses after Afcon despair | OneFootball

Fortune favours the bold, in most cases perhaps, but for Morocco’s Brahim Diaz, he found out the hard way that there is a flip-side to that coin.

In football there is nothing quite as audacious as attempting to make a goalkeeper look helpless by nonchalantly chipping a penalty into the net while they merely watch, with the scorer usually basking in praise afterwards.

The technique was first used by Czechoslovakia player Antonin Panenka, who scored the winning penalty in the 1976 Euros final against West Germany and ensured his surname has entered football folklore.

Unfortunately for the Real Madrid star, his Panenka effort in the dying stage of normal time in the 2026 Afcon final would only serve as catching practice for Senegal’s Edouard Mendy, squandering his side’s opportunity to break the deadlock with the game poised at 0-0 in front of 60,000 desperate fans. Instead, Senegal would go on to win 1-0 in extra time.

Sergio Aguero – Manchester City vs Chelsea, 2021

One of the most prolific strikers in the history of the English top flight is about to take a penalty at his home ground when his team are already 1-0 up, surely he doesn’t fluff this chance... Right?

Well, fast forward a minute later, and Pep Guardiola is visibly fuming on the touchline after Aguero’s Panenka attempt floated into the hands of Edouard Mendy, who apparently has a habit of sussing out Panenkas.

The Argentine talisman took accountability for his miss after the game, tweeting: ‘I would like to apologise to my teammates, staff and supporters for missing the penalty. It was a bad decision and I take full responsibility.’

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Sergio Aguero’s Panenka attempt did not work (Getty Images)

Danny Welbeck is no stranger to the intensity of Premier League football, playing for the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Sunderland, Watford and now Brighton. It’s undoubtedly been a rollercoaster of career, and this season’s 2-2 draw away to West Ham had plenty of highs, and lows, for the Englishman.

The striker did expertly dispatch a penalty in the game to put his side level at 1-1, but he then had the chance to give his team the lead just five minutes later. Instead of going for a reliable placed penalty like his first, he went for glory with a Panenka which struck the bar of the West Ham goal in a game which they could’ve taken all three points.

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Danny Welbeck’s miss came this season (REUTERS)

It is not often that you have the chance to become the joint highest goalscorer in history for your national team. Former England striker and renowned football pundit Gary Lineker knows this anticipation all too well.

Despite the penalty being awarded in a friendly against Brazil, Lineker could have etched his name in the history books of the beautiful game by equalling the late Sir Bobby Charlton’s record of 49 goals.

It could have been so sweet, as he went for the spectacular and tried to equal the record in style with a Panenka, however it ended so sourly, as a woeful chip proved to be humiliating for Lineker, who retired at the end of Euro 92 shortly after – still one goal short of Charlton’s mark.

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Gary Lineker won the penalty that he subsequently missed (PA)

The former Manchester United star known as ‘Chicharito’ may actually take the cake for the worst Panenka penalty miss due to the stakes of this particular game.

Hernandez had already completed most of the hard graft by scoring a brace, which had helped his side draw level at 2-2, and the referee gave a penalty to LA Galaxy in the 97th minute of the game.

Hat-trick hero to the rescue, a last-gasp winner at the death, the headlines would’ve written themselves, but it was not to be, as his Panenka chip fell into the palms of goalkeeper John Pulskamp, leaving the Mexican with his head in his hands, presumably like many Galaxy fans that evening.

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Javier Hernandez erred for LA Galaxy (Getty Images)

Enzo Le Fee’s miss against Brentford in the Premier League two weeks ago is part of a bizarre emerging trend of high-profile Panenka misses over the past few months.

Despite Brentford Caoimhin Kelleher boasting a 67 per cent penalty save rate, Le Fee didn’t exactly make it a challenge for the Republic of Ireland international as a tame chip down the middle of the goal was anticipated by the Bees No 1.

Le Fee took to social media after game, saying: “A difficult night. React and go again.”

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Enzo Le Fee’s Panenka attempt was poor (Action Images via Reuters)