Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal’s captain and Al Nassr striker, has added an unexpected entry to his long list of football records : the most penalty misses in football history.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner reached this milestone after failing to convert a penalty against Ireland on Saturday, where Brentford’s Caoimhin Kelleher denied his attempt from the spot.
According to Planet Football, the miss brought Ronaldo’s tally of failed penalties to 34. However, this statistic tells only part of the story.
The veteran forward has also taken more penalties than anyone else on record — 211 in total — converting 177 of them.
That translates to an impressive 83.8% success rate, a figure that remains well above the professional average.
Penalty taking is as much about psychology as skill, and Ronaldo’s longevity has exposed him to more high-pressure moments than most.
Over his two-decade career, he has delivered crucial penalties for club and country — from Champions League finals to World Cup qualifiers — earning a reputation for resilience under fire.
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Still, his recent record suggests that even legends are not immune to human limits. Ronaldo has missed four of his last 16 penalties over the past year, a reminder of how the smallest margins define elite sport.
In the modern game, only a handful of players come close to Ronaldo’s penalty numbers. Lionel Messi follows closely with 32 misses out of 145 attempts, while Neymar, Francesco Totti, and Zlatan Ibrahimović trail behind with fewer than 25 failed efforts each.
Despite the comparisons, Ronaldo’s overall consistency and courage to keep stepping up remain unmatched.
Fans and analysts have been quick to point out that holding both the record for most penalties scored and most penalties missed reflects his longevity and relentless pursuit of goals.
At 40, Ronaldo continues to lead Portugal and Al Nassr, demonstrating remarkable fitness, motivation, and technical discipline.
For many, this “unwanted” record only adds another layer to his storied career — one defined by persistence, leadership, and an undying desire to compete.
Whether converting or missing, Ronaldo’s name continues to dominate football’s record books, proof that greatness is not perfection but consistency over time.
BBC
