In association football, the panenka is a technique used while taking a penalty kick in which the taker, instead of kicking the ball to the left or right of the goalkeeper, gives a light touch underneath the ball, causing it to rise and fall within the centre of the goal, deceiving the goalkeeper who will most likely have committed to a dive away from the centre. [1]
The technique was pioneered by Czech player Antonín Panenka, who scored a decisive penalty in the UEFA Euro 1976 final in Belgrade, when he beat West German goalkeeper Sepp Maier to claim the title for the Czechoslovakian national team. [2] [3] The technique garnered Panenka much media attention and praise, but it was likewise deemed risky. Due to it being difficult to execute correctly and relatively easy to save for the goalkeeper if anticipated, a panenka has rarely been attempted at professional knock-out tournaments. Sports journalists have noted that generally only highly regarded players who can deal with the consequences of missing such an attempt, have tried scoring with a panenka at major tournaments. [4] [5]
Originally, the Czech name for panenka was Vršovický dloubák — a reference to the Prague district of Vršovice, where Panenka's home club Bohemians is based. This style of penalty kick is also called Il cucchiaio ("the spoon") in Italy, [6] cavadinha ("little dig") in Brazil and penal picado ("poked penalty kick") in Argentina and elsewhere in South America. [7]
The aim of the technique is not to chip the ball over the goalkeeper, but to take advantage of the fact that many goalkeepers will dive to either side of the goal in anticipation, rather than waiting to see in which direction the ball is going. It is a very risky technique, because the subtle touch on the ball gives it a very slow speed, thus allowing the goalkeeper to move back from where they jumped, or even to simply remain in the same spot and wait for the ball to fall easily into their hands. In addition, the subtle touch is most easily applied by a taker who slows down as they are about to strike the ball, making it possible for the goalkeeper to recognize what the taker is intending. The move is generally only used by confident penalty takers who dare to risk missing the kick. [4] Some players who have attempted a panenka have been criticized by the specialized media or their team's members and supporters, especially if they miss it. [8]
According to studies, a panenka has a lower scoring probability over placement or power, though it is alleged that if successful, a panenka's psychological impact on the opposite team may be profound, which may be why penalty takers elect to use it.[ citation needed ] In the penalty shootout in Italy's game against England in Euro 2012, Andrea Pirlo opted for a panenka specifically in the hope of inflicting a psychological blow on England. [9] Antonín Panenka, though, saw the penalty as a reflection of his own personality. [10]
"I saw myself as an entertainer and I saw this penalty as a reflection of my personality. I wanted to give the fans something new to see, to create something that would get them talking."
Antonín Panenka came to international prominence playing for Czechoslovakia in the 1976 European Championship; Czechoslovakia reached the final, where they faced West Germany. After extra time, the result was 2–2, and so the first penalty shootout in a European Championships final ensued. The first seven kicks were converted, until West Germany's fourth penalty taker, Uli Hoeneß, ballooned his shot over the bar. With the score 4–3, Panenka stepped up to take the fifth Czechoslovakian penalty, which would win the match if he scored. He feigned shooting to the side of the goal, causing West German goalkeeper Sepp Maier to dive to his left, and then gently chipped the ball into the middle of the net. [11] The perceived impudence of the shot, in addition to its success, led a watching French journalist to dub Panenka "a poet". The goal was very widely reported on, and Panenka's name became synonymous with the technique. [12] After the game, Panenka was told that he could have been punished if he missed, as it may have been seen as disrespecting the Communist system in place at the time in his home country. [10] On viewing the penalty, Pelé described Panenka as being "either a genius or a madman". [3]
As well as winning the 1976 European Championship, Panenka helped Czechoslovakia come third in the 1980 tournament, after scoring once again in a 9–8 penalty shootout win. [13] In the finals of the 1982 World Cup, Panenka scored twice from penalties, but these were the only Czechoslovakian goals, and the team did not progress beyond the first group stage. [14] [15]
Panenka's penalty has since been successfully emulated by many other players in a wide range of competitions. Only a small number of these have been, like Panenka's original, in major cup finals:
Examples of panenkas outside finals include:
Attempted panenkas are often unsuccessful. In the 2019 A-League Grand Final Perth Glory player Brendon Santalab, who had scored multiple panenkas previously in his career, played his last game as a professional. The match ended in a penalty shootout between Sydney FC and Santalab's club Perth Glory. With Sydney FC leading 3-1, Santalab took Perth's third penalty, attempting a panenka, but Sydney FC goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne was expecting it. The keeper stood upright and easily saved the weak kick. Sydney FC scored their next penalty, winning the shootout and the A-League Championship 4-1. [24] In 1992, former England captain Gary Lineker failed a panenka which at the time, would have put him level with Bobby Charlton for the England team's top scorer, the missed penalty instead leaving him one goal behind on 48 for the rest of his career. [25]
On July 4th, 2024, during the 2024 Copa América quarterfinal match between Argentina and Ecuador, Lionel Messi missed the opening kick of the penalty shootout when he attempted a panenka. The chip fooled the Ecuadorian goalkeeper, but the ball hit the crossbar and bounced up and back, finally landing on the top of the net. Argentina nevertheless won the penalty shootout 4–2. A few days later, during the tournament's third-place match between Canada and Uruguay, Alphonso Davies missed the fourth kick of the penalty shootout when he attempted a panenka. The chip convinced the Uruguayan goalkeeper to dive to his left, but the ball hit the crossbar. With that miss, Uruguay ended up winning the penalty shootout 4–3.
The Italy national football team has represented Italy in men's international football since its first match in 1910. The national team is controlled by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the governing body for football in Italy, which is a co-founder and member of UEFA. Italy's home matches are played at various stadiums throughout Italy, and its primary training ground and technical headquarters, Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano, is located in Florence.
In association football, a penalty shoot-out is a tie-breaking method to determine which team is awarded victory in a match that cannot end in a draw, when the score is tied after the normal time as well as extra time has expired. In a penalty shoot-out, each team takes turns shooting at goal from the penalty mark, with the goal defended only by the opposing team's goalkeeper. Each team has five shots which must be taken by different players; the team that makes more successful kicks is declared the victor. Shoot-outs finish as soon as one team has an insurmountable lead. If scores are level after five pairs of shots, the shootout progresses into additional "sudden-death" rounds. Balls successfully kicked into the goal during a shoot-out do not count as goals for the individual kickers or the team, and are tallied separately from the goals scored during normal play. Although the procedure for each individual kick in the shoot-out resembles that of a penalty kick, there are some differences. Most notably, neither the kicker nor any player other than the goalkeeper may play the ball again once it has been kicked.
The Czechoslovakia national football team represented Czechoslovakia in men's international football from 1919 to 1993. The team was controlled by the Czechoslovak Football Association, and the team qualified for eight World Cups and three European Championships. It had two runner-up finishes in World Cups, in 1934 and 1962, and won the European Championship in the 1976 tournament.
Andrea Pirlo is an Italian football manager and former professional player. Considered one of the greatest midfielders of all time, Pirlo was known for his vision, technique, creativity, passing, and free kick ability.
Antonín Panenka is a Czech former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He spent most of his career at Czechoslovak club Bohemians Prague before having spells with various Austrian clubs including Rapid Wien. Panenka won UEFA Euro 1976 with Czechoslovakia and gained recognition for his winning penalty kick in the shoot-out of the final against West Germany, where he scored with a softly-chipped ball up the middle of the goal as the goalkeeper dived away. This style of penalty is now known as a panenka. In 1980, he won Czechoslovak Footballer of the Year and his team finished third at Euro 1980.
Sergio Ramos García is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back. Regarded as one of the best defenders of all time, Ramos is known for his tackling skills, aerial abilities, leadership, and goalscoring, having scored more than 100 goals for Real Madrid. He played at Real Madrid for sixteen seasons, winning multiple UEFA Champions League titles while at the club, along with two UEFA European Championships and the 2010 FIFA World Cup with the Spain national team.
The France–Italy football rivalry is a football rivalry between the national football teams of Italy and France, having achieved six FIFA World Cups and four UEFA European Championships between the two countries. Italy has won four FIFA World Cups in 1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006, while France has won two FIFA World Cups in 1998 and 2018.
Artem Volodymyrovych Milevskyi is a Ukrainian former professional footballer who played as a second striker.
The goalkeeper is a position in association football. It is the most specialised position in the sport. The goalkeeper's main role is to stop the opposing team from scoring. This is accomplished by having the goalkeeper move into the trajectory of the ball to either catch it or direct it further from the vicinity of the goal line. Within the penalty area, goalkeepers are allowed to use their hands, giving them the sole rights on the field to handle the ball. The goalkeeper is indicated by wearing a different coloured kit from their teammates and opposition.
The 2006 FIFA World Cup final was the final match of the 2006 World Cup, the 18th edition of FIFA's competition for national football teams. The match was played at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany, on 9 July 2006, and was contested between Italy and France. The event comprised hosts Germany and 31 other teams who emerged from the qualification phase, organised by the six FIFA confederations. The 32 teams competed in a group stage, from which 16 teams qualified for the knockout stage. En route to the final, Italy finished first in Group E, with two wins and a draw, after which they defeated Australia in the round of 16, Ukraine in the quarter-final and Germany 2–0, in the semi-final. France finished runner-up of Group G with one win and two draws, before defeating Spain in the round of 16, Brazil in the quarter-final and Portugal 1–0 in the semi-final. The final was witnessed by 69,000 spectators in the stadium, with the referee for the match being Horacio Elizondo from Argentina.
This article discusses the structure of football leagues in the Czech Republic. These leagues are organised by The Football Association of the Czech Republic (FAČR). Football is the most popular sport in the Czech Republic.
Antonio Candreva is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a right midfielder or right winger. He last played for Serie B club Salernitana.
The UEFA Euro 1976 final was the final match of the UEFA Euro 1976, the fifth edition of the European Championship, UEFA's top football competition for national teams. Contested by Czechoslovakia and West Germany, the match was played at Stadion Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, on 20 June 1976.
The UEFA Euro 2012 final was the final match of Euro 2012, the fourteenth edition of the European Championship, UEFA's competition for national football teams. The match was played at the Olympic Stadium in Kyiv, Ukraine, on 1 July 2012, and was contested between defending champions Spain and Italy.
In association football, shooting is hitting the ball in an attempt to score a goal. It is usually done using the feet or head. A shot on target or shot on goal is a shot that enters the goal or would have entered the goal if it had not been blocked by the goalkeeper or another defensive player.
Jorge Luiz Frello Filho, known as Jorginho, is a professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Arsenal and the Italy national team.
The official history of the Italy national football team began in 1910, when Italy played its first international match. Since then, the Italy national team has been one of the most successful football teams, winning four World Cups and two European Championships.
A chip, also known as a lob, is a shot in which the ball is kicked from underneath with accuracy but with less than maximum force, to launch it high into the air in order either to pass it over the heads of opponents or to score a goal over the goalkeeper. Chip shots usually have backspin, otherwise they are usually considered a lob.
Jonas Older Wind is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg and the Denmark national team. He is the son of former goalkeeper Per Wind.