For the neutral, penalties are second to none. For everyone else? Nightmare.
Not much is expected of the goalkeeper in a spot kick, but in a penalty shoot-out, a save can prove crucial. Some goalkeepers thrive on the rare exclamation, especially those who may not often play and are instead saved for the deadlock.
90min has selected 30 of the best performances from the goalkeepers in games that have gone down to the lead for spot kick.
Zoff Step Up / Alessandro Sabattini / Getty Images
Admittedly, the penalties in this quarter-final between Juventus and Ajax were nothing short of terrible.
Still, someone has to save them. Zoff went up for Juve and saved two Ajax penalties to ensure his team developed with a 3-0 point from spot kick. We put down the quality of the plan.
Taffarel watches Roberto Baggio’s penalty sail over / CHRIS WILKINS / Getty Images
Brazil’s Taffarel made only one save as Italy made a total mess of their penalties in the World Cup final at all times, but it was crucial.
The Italians would miss twice, but Taffarel saved one in between and dived to the left to hold out an attempt from Daniele Massaro. What came after? World champion.
One for his stove / Alex Livesey / Getty Images
Like we said, it only takes one save to make a difference. Patricio proved it in the final of the Euro 2016 quarter.
Denying Jakub Błaszczykowski was the big moment when it sent Portugal into the last four of the competition. Only the one who saved and he did not get too close to others, but what does that mean?
Buffon returned in style / Yifan Ding / Getty Images
After a year’s sabbatical with Paris Saint-Germain, Buffon returned to Juventus in 2019 and started his summer by rolling back the years.
In a friendly match against Inter, Buffon saved three penalties which was the key to Juventus winning the match. One for the scrapbook.
An unlikely hero / MB Media / Getty Images
After being bambozled by a Jorginho penalty in extra time to level the match at 2-2, Adrian came in handy when the 2019 Super Cup went to penalty.
With Chelsea set to take the shot to sudden death, the stand-in Spaniard pulled a strong save with his feet to deny Tammy Abraham and win the match for Liverpool 5-4.
Arphexad and Robbie Savage / Jamie McDonald / Getty Images
Leicester’s replacement goalkeeper came on for Arsenal when Tim Flowers suffered an injury at the end of the match, with a place in the fifth round hanging in balance.
However, the French goalkeeper picked up and saved two penalties from Lee Dixon and Gilles Grimandi to send the foxes despite the goalkeeper change.
Given saw City through / ANDREW YATES / Getty Images
Now known as the Europa League, a Manchester City side that has not long been in the money with new ownership did hard work to pass into the quarter-finals.
After blowing the lead and watching the match go to penalties, Mark Hughes’ side was saved by some heroics from Given in goal, and saved two Aalborg penalties that sent them through.
Champions League Winners / PATRIK STOLLARZ / Getty Images
After saving a place in normal time, Cech felt good in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich when it came to penalties.
With Juan Mata missing a penalty, Chelsea needed a save. Cech came out well to deny Ivica Olic taking back things. Bastian Schweinsteiger missed and Didier Drogba goal then took home.
One for United fans / Etsuo Hara / Getty Images
Chelsea were on the other side of the shootout four years earlier. With the penalty of sudden death, John Terry had failed to give Manchester United a golden opportunity.
Van der Sar – who already had a great match – saved an attempt from Nicolas Anelka down to the right despite pointing to the left and won United their third Champions League.
Ivorian legend / Anadolu Agency / Getty Images
Called into the finals due to injury, veteran Ivorian stopper Barry had to punish if his nation wanted cutlery.
Barry saved Ghana’s third penalty, and when things went to a sudden death, he saved from his goalkeeper Brimah Razak before doing himself to secure the Africa Cup of Nations.
Duckadam kisses the cup / AFP / Getty Images
The 1986 Cup in the final saw some pretty bad penalties when the match went to the shootout, but also some hero from Steaua Bucharest’s goalkeeper Duckadam.
Barcelona did not make a penalty, Duckadam saved all four when Steaua won the European Cup against the odds.
The strangest image you see / VI-Images / Getty Images
The world was confused in 2014 when Dutch boss Louis van Gaal replaced his goalkeepers during the dead minutes of extra time before an impending penalty against Costa Rica.
Suddenly there was a method of madness. Krul had obviously been the penalty man in the camp and translated it when he needed to, which saved two attempts to send the Dutch to the semifinals. Tactical genius.
Packie Bonner sent Ireland through / Inpho Photography / Getty Images
Ireland made their first World Cup final and did seriously hard work of their time at the tournament while they loved every second.
Malen continued in the round of 16 and took Romania to the penalty spot after a 0-0 draw. After David O’Leary made Ireland’s fifth, Bonner stepped up and saved an attempt from Daniel Timofte to keep the dream alive and send them to the quarter-finals.
Neuer has nerves of steel / VI-Images / Getty Images
An unusual fight for an always dominant Bayern Munich, a tough test from Bayer Leverkusen in the quarterfinals 2014/15 saw a goalless draw for punishment.
Die Roten was in shape and bagged all five, while Neuer got a hand in Leverkusen’s opening penalty. Saving was crucial as they made their next four, but could not move on. Coupling.
Buffon’s experience showed / Clive Rose / Getty Images
A bonkers third place playoff that ended 2-2 was topped with penalties, giving a great game for the neutrals.
Buffon pulled out a fine save with the Italians 3-2 up on spot kicks, diving low to the right to secure third place with relative ease.
Cult Hero / Catherine Ivill – AMA / Getty Images
Manchester City had a fine goalkeeper for cup competitions in Caballero throughout the 2010s. Even better, he loved punishment.
In City’s fifth appearance in the competition final, they were prepared for a place kick against Liverpool after a 1-1 draw. Caballero made three saves in a row to take the trophy to City at Wembley alone.
Easy / JAVIER SORIANO / Getty Images
An exciting semi-final between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid ended with a penalty kick. Prime Gazprom.
Even better, Neuer showed his class once again and stepped up and saved Real’s first two penalties from Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka, as Bayern advanced to the final. German is huge.
Schumacher turned out to be the man / – / Getty Images
West Germany 3-3 France after 120 minutes, at the semifinals of the World Cup.
Considered one of the greatest games ever, it was time for heroes. Step forward Schumacher, who saved his nation’s bacon by blocking Didier Six’s strike and then holding out Maxime Bossis to see West Germany in the final.
Summer was the Hero / Marcio Machado / Getty Images
A modern entry, Switzerland that dumped France out of Euro 2020 was the game that destroyed everyone’s predictions and bets.
A dramatic equalizer from the Swiss sent the game to extra time where penalties were inevitable with points locked at 3-3. Sommer enjoyed saving a Kylian Mbappe penalty that must go in for France.
A rather frivolous entry, but one that completely deserves its place.
Irish goalkeeper Kelly saved four of four penalties for Sligo Rovers in the FAI Cup 2010 final to ensure his side beat Shamrock Rovers for the trophy. A penalty icon, he repeated similar heroism from the bench a year later and saved two to retain the trophy.
Messi was happy / MB Media / Getty Images
One step away from a final with Brazil, Argentina had to overcome a penalty shootout against Colombia in the semifinals.
Fresh from the back of a fine season with Aston Villa, Martinez continued to show his qualities and saved three penalties to give the Argentines a route into the final. Heroic stuff.
Well deserved / Clive Brunskill / Getty Images
Another Van der Sar champion class against Chelsea, the Dutchman did not even give them a sniff when Community Shield 2007 was punished.
Two on the right, one struck in the middle. Van der Sar saved three penalties in a row to roll the red devils to the shield. Did not even sweat.
El-Hadary is a veteran / Anadolu Agency / Getty Images
With a place in the final on the line, Burkina Faso had managed to take Egypt all the way to the penalty spot. Unfortunately, fortunes went dry there.
Veteran Egypt keeper El-Hadary enjoyed on-site kicks and rescues twice to ensure his nation made the final. A touch of class and a wise head on his shoulders was the perfect recipe for the scenario.
The Italian Hero in Amsterdam / Graham Chadwick / Getty Images
More Dutch uncertainty from the penalty spot was prepared by them by Italian goalkeeper Toldo during the Euro 2000 semi-final.
Toldo had been huge the whole game and started the shooting strong, losing efforts from Frank de Boer and crucial Paul Bosvelt to give the Italians passage to the final with a 3-1 shootout.
Dudek Stopped Pirlo’s Effort / Clive Brunskill / Getty Images
Inspiration from Bruce Grobbelaar, some spaghetti legs and another penalty hero from Dudek made him the hero when Liverpool dramatically won the Champions League in 2005.
His unique legwork proved to be a distraction for Milan’s Serginho before Dudek saved another penalty from Andrea Pirlo and, crucially, Andriy Shevchenko to win the tournament.
Lehmann was class / Simon M Bruty / Getty Images
With the reins from Oliver Kahn, Lehmann had some monster gloves to fill.
He did himself justice in the World Cup final, but saved two fine Argentina penalties from Roberto Ayala and Esteban Cambiasso to ensure Germany reached the semi-finals in their home tournament. Not only did they save, they were also solid.
Ricardo Stops England Again / Clive Mason / Getty Images
Two years after the Euros’ heartbeat, Ricardo proved another villain to England at the 2006 World Cup.
The Portuguese goalkeeper saved three penalties to secure a 3-1 victory for his side, and regretted England’s work to take the game so far despite being down to ten men.
Kahn was threatening / Stu Forster / Getty Images
There is no one who is more threatening in football than Oliver Kahn. So good luck trying to hit him on penalties.
Valencia felt that anger in the final of the Champions League 2000. Although Bayern Munich was kept in check, the penalties stood for them as Kahn’s monstrous frame dominated the net, saving two back to back and then blocking a crucial third to win the trophy for Die Roten.
Casillas loves a penalty / Jamie McDonald / Getty Images
A real clash of the Titans, only spot kicks could decipher a winner in a semi-final in Euro 2008 between Spain and Italy.
120 minutes yielded no goals, but the penalty construction saw Casillas turn into the hero of the night and refused both Daniele De Rossi and Antonio di Natale to send their country to the semifinals in a tournament they continued to win.
Euro 2004 – Heartbreak for England / Shaun Botterill / Getty Images
Unfortunately, England fans.
The Three Lions had a golden side fitted, but penalties against Portugal in the 2004 quarter-finals stopped everything. Ricardo saved an effort from Darius Vassell, before he himself stepped forward and made a winning penalty. Disrespectful, but you have to love it. Incredible nerves.
