Interesting Penalty Kick Statistics You Must Know in 2024

Penalty kicks are a crucial part of soccer; referees award penalties when a foul occurs inside the penalty area. The player taking the kick places the ball 12 yards or 10.97m away from the goal line at the start of the penalty kick.

Penalty kicks can determine the game’s outcomes. Goalkeepers can gain an advantage over their opponents if they successfully block the shot, as only 11% of penalties are saved.

This article will provide exciting insights into penalty kick statistics.

Highlights of the Article

• The success ratio in World Cup penalty shootouts is 70.3%.
• Around 75% of penalty kicks result in successful goal conversions.
• The French Ligue 1 had the highest success rate for penalty kicks during the 2021/2022 season, with a conversion rate of 86.41%.
• The Turkish Super Lig had the highest average number of penalties awarded during the same season, with an average of 7.89 per game.
• 60.5% of the team taking the first penalty is likelier to win.
• On average, players who take penalty kicks during regular play score 85% of the time.

What is the Success Rate of Penalty Kicks?

In the highest levels of competition, 85% of penalties are successful on average. The factor that affects penalty kicks success rate is as follows:

• Level of the competition
• The skill of the penalty taker
• The ability of the goalkeeper
• The pressure of the situation

Penalty kicks taken in a crucial situation, such as the latter part of a game or a taut match, may have a lower success rate.

For the next section, you will read the various statistics about penalty kick conversion statistics per league, per player, and the latest trends.

Penalty Kick Conversion Statistics

Conversion rates are a significant statistic in soccer, emphasizing its importance. Players must be proficient since successful penalty kicks can be the reason for victory or the defeat of a team.

Take a look at the statistics of penalty kicks worldwide.

1. The World Cup penalty shootout success ratio is 70.3%.

(The Football Lovers)

In FIFA World Cup, penalty shootouts occur in knockout matches when the score is tied after regular and extra time. Success rates in penalties vary due to player skills, training, and tactics, making it crucial in determining the winners of the match.

2. 3 out of 4 penalty kicks are successfully converted to goals.

(Sports Quotes and Facts)

The overall average success rate of penalty kicks is around 75%. The success rate significantly impacts a team’s chances of winning a game, as this is the only advantage a team gains.

3. Shots with 75% power are less likely to miss than others.

(International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport)

IJPAS analyzed 129  penalties in the Champions League finals and the World Cup. The results showed that the less powerful the hit shot, the less likely to miss. Furthermore, a spot-kick is more likely will be saved.

Statistics on Penalty Kicks Per League

Professional soccer leagues feature the best teams and players globally. In addition, there are also international tournaments such as UEFA Champions League and the Copa Libertadores, where competitions are more intense.

This level of competition affects the success rate of penalty kicks. Furthermore, this league is watched by millions of people, adding pressure to the kicker.

Below are the statistics of penalty kicks in the most famous league in the world.

4. In the 2021-2022 season, French Ligue 1 got the highest penalty kick success, converting 86.41% of the penalty shots.

(Sporting Pedia)

French Ligue 1 tops the penalty conversion rate in the 2021-2022 season in the European Football League. Meanwhile, the Scottish Premiership experienced the worst numbers, with only 71.70% of penalty shots resulting in goals.

 The higher penalty conversion significantly impacts several competitive advantages and can boost the confidence of the players and the team. However, the penalty kick conversion rate varies from season to season.

5. Turkish Süper Lig has the highest average of 7.89 penalties awarded during the 2021/ 2022 season.

(Sporting Pedia)

Turkish Süper Lig tops the chart in European Football Leagues regarding penalties awarded. Meanwhile, the Dutch Eredivisie got the lowest average of penalties awarded per club.

Average Number of Awarded Penalties per Team in European Football Leagues

The number of penalties awarded to a club significantly indicates how effective their attacking style is and their ability to score. The higher the number of penalties, the more likely they influence the tactical strategies of the opposing team.

6. In the Premier League, 12% of penalties are saved.

(The Football Lovers)

Penalty saved varies every season; in 2021, 83% of penalties were converted, while the goalkeeper saved 12%, and 3% missed the target.

Penalty Kick per Player Statistics

The success of penalty kicks depends on the soccer player’s ability, as well as their position and style of play. Teams choose certain players as penalty kick takers, while others seldom take penalties.

 Read more to know the best soccer players that stand out the most regarding penalty kicks.

7. Cristiano Ronaldo is currently the best penalty-taker in the world, with 144 scores.

(Mobile Premiere League)

Cristiano Ronaldo, the highest-paid footballer of all time, is the most successful penalty taker, with 144 penalties scored. Below is the list of the top 5 most successful penalty takers players.

8. Samir Handanovic holds the record for the most penalty saves, with 43.

(Transfrmrkt)

Saving penalty kicks is as essential as converting penalty kicks to goals. Preventing a goal prevents the opposing team from scoring, which means securing the score gap, especially in crucial games.

Thus, goalkeepers must also be equally recognized. Among the goalies, Samir Handanovic has the most saved penalties.

Highlighted are the notable goalies and their saves:

9. Yaya Touré holds a 100% penalty success rate in the Premier League.

(The Football Lovers)

Of 11 penalties, Yaya Touré, a former Manchester City midfielder, never missed. He was considered one of the best penalty-takers in the league.

10. Edin Dzeko tops the active players with the worst penalty; 9 missed out of 20 penalties

(SportsKeeda)

Edin Dzeko is the first player to score 50 goals among the three top five European leagues. But despite this, his rate of taking penalties is underwhelming, as he missed nine penalties from 20 attempts.

11. The record for the most penalties saved in La Liga is 22.

(Guinness, Khelnow)

Diego Alves from Brazil saved 22 penalties in La Liga at the end of the 2016–17 season. He saved this from 46 penalties, taking his saving rate to 47.8%.

Penalty Kick Trends

Trends in penalty kicks in soccer vary from time to time. Trends are associated with season, league, etc., but penalties are crucial to the sport.

Let us take a look at the latest trends in penalty kicks.

12. Players who take more time to ready themselves score 80% of the time.

(Inner Drive, Daily Star)

Taking more time impacts goalkeepers psychologically, which becomes an advantage. They become more anxious when time is running out. In this way, penalties are more likely successful.

Paul Pogba and Neymar are known for taking their time. However, an unknown player in a Japanese Football Championship put this to shame. He took an incredible 35 seconds to run up to the ball and take his spot-kick in a shootout.

They did not win, but it saved their team from embarrassment as they tied the score by 1-1.

13. The team who started taking penalty shots is 60.5% more likely to win.

(London School of Economics)

Taking penalties first increases pressure on the rival team’s penalty-takers. It shoots up the tension when the opposing team’s penalties are successful, as they need to be able to score to stay in the game.

14. Players who take penalty kicks during standard times score an average of 85%.

(Inner Drive)

It is crucial when penalties decide who will win the game; this is the case for penalty shootouts. The conversion rate of penalties during a penalty shoot dropped to 76%. Soccer is still a mental game – stress and fear of losing greatly influence someone’s thoughts and behavior.

Final Thoughts

Penalty kicks are a significant and thrilling aspect of soccer that can ultimately determine the game’s outcome.

Success in converting penalty kicks to goals depends on various factors, such as the difficulty of the opposition, the match’s significance, and the skill and luck of the team and players involved.

Analyzing penalty statistics can offer valuable insights into the game and help coaches and spectators better understand the critical elements that lead to success in this crucial aspect of soccer.