Cristiano Ronaldo sets unwanted record with 34 penalty misses

Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has added an unusual record to his glittering career — becoming the player with the most penalty misses in football history.

The Al Nassr forward missed from the spot against Ireland on Saturday, as Brentford goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher saved his attempt. The miss marked Ronaldo’s 34th failed penalty, according to data published by Planet Football on Monday.

Despite the record, Ronaldo’s overall numbers remain remarkable. The 39-year-old has taken 211 penalties, converting 177 for an 83.8% success rate — still comfortably above the global average.

The players with the most penalty misses

In the modern era, here are the seven players with the highest number of penalty failures:

7. Ronaldinho – 16 misses
The Brazilian legend scored most of his penalties with flair but was denied famously by England’s Joe Hart in 2013.

6. Zlatan Ibrahimović – 17 misses
The Swedish striker converted 87 penalties in his career, though his accuracy dipped after his 2020 return to AC Milan.

5. Ciro Immobile – 19 misses
The Italian forward has scored 86 of 105 attempts, with a steady 81.9% success rate.

4. Francesco Totti – 20 misses
The Roma icon was lethal in his later years, converting his last 13 spot-kicks before retirement.

3. Neymar – 22 misses
The Brazilian has scored 91 of 113 penalties (80.5%) and maintains a perfect record since returning to Santos.

2. Lionel Messi – 32 misses
The Argentine great has scored 113 of 145 penalties, a 77.9% conversion rate, though he often delegates spot-kick duties at Inter Miami.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo – 34 misses
Ronaldo’s four misses in the past year pushed him to the top of this list, yet he remains football’s most prolific penalty scorer — with 177 goals from the spot.