Penalty Kick Success: A Game-Changer in Top-Tier Football
When a coin is dropped from shoulder height, it takes around half a second to hit the ground. That’s the same time it takes for a ball to travel from the penalty spot to the goal line. Scoring from those 18 square meters seems easy, but even greats like Messi, Ronaldo, and Maradona have missed their fair share.
In the last match, Sporting scored two penalty goals against Estrela da Amadora, while Benfica and FC Porto each scored one against Gil Vicente and Estoril, respectively. Farense had only one penalty kick, whereas Gil Vicente and Estrela da Amadora had two each. Sporting leads with 13 penalties, followed by Benfica with 12.
The current Portuguese champion, Sporting, has benefited the most from penalty kicks among the top 10 UEFA-ranked teams. Benfica comes in second, followed by Real Madrid and Galatasaray, each with 11 penalties in their favor. On average, Sporting and Benfica get a penalty kick every two games, while FC Porto gets one every three games.
Only a few top-10 European teams have a 100% success rate from the penalty spot. Sporting, Liverpool, Besiktas, and Slavia Praga are among the few that have achieved this feat, with a minimum of 9 penalty kicks in their favor. Ajax, on the other hand, has struggled, scoring only 5 goals from 8 penalty kicks.
Top Teams with the Most Penalty Kicks
- Sporting: 13
- Benfica: 12
- Real Madrid: 11
- Galatasaray: 11
