10 Best Penalty Takers in World Cup Shootout History

No moment in football strips a player down to their nerve quite like a World Cup penalty shootout. Twelve yards, one ball, and an entire nation exhaling or collapsing depending on what happens next. Since West Germany and France contested the first-ever World Cup shootout in 1982, the competition has produced a select group of players who simply do not miss when it matters most — and this list of the best penalty takers in World Cup history ranks them on exactly that basis.

Some names here scored once and were never tested again. Others returned to the spot across two different tournaments, eight or twelve years apart, and delivered every single time. That is the standard this ranking holds itself to: not just scoring under pressure, but doing it repeatedly, on the sport’s biggest stage, when an early exit is the only alternative.

This is the definitive World Cup shootout history countdown — the players whose nerve held when everyone else’s didn’t.

Criteria for Ranking the Best Penalty Takers in World Cup History

Ranking World Cup penalty takers is trickier than it looks, because a shootout only offers a handful of data points per player across an entire career. We weighted this list using four criteria, all built around World Cup knockout stage shootouts specifically — not domestic cup competitions or continental tournaments.

The primary metric is conversion record: how many penalties a player scored versus how many they missed. Beyond that, we factored in cross-tournament consistency — a player who delivered as a spot-kick specialist in two separate World Cups, years apart, demonstrates something a single clutch moment cannot. We also considered the stakes of the shootout itself (a final carries more weight than a round-of-16 tie) and the broader context of a player’s role as a designated taker their coach trusted repeatedly.

Data is drawn from FIFA’s official World Cup records, corroborated by match reports from BBC Sport, ESPN, and Sky Sports.

Criterion	Description	Weight
Conversion Record	Total penalties scored vs. attempted in World Cup shootouts	High
Cross-Tournament Consistency	Delivering across multiple World Cups, not just one night	High
Stakes of the Shootout	Round reached — final and semi-final carry more weight than earlier rounds	Medium
Role as Designated Taker	Whether the player was a trusted, repeat penalty-taker for their side	Medium

The Top 10 Best Penalty Takers in World Cup History

Before we break down exactly what makes each of these players elite from twelve yards, here’s the full countdown at a glance. Some of these names will be instantly familiar; others are unsung spot-kick specialists whose composure rarely gets the credit it deserves.

Rank	Player	Country	Record	Tournament(s)
10	Aritz “Rubén” Baraja	Spain	2/2	2002
9	Fernando Hierro	Spain	2/2	2002
8	Dirk Kuyt	Netherlands	2/2	2014
7	Arjen Robben	Netherlands	2/2	2014
6	Carlos Dunga	Brazil	2/2	1994, 1998
5	Andreas Brehme	West Germany	2/2	1986, 1990
4	Pierre Littbarski	West Germany	2/2	1982, 1986
3	Lothar Matthäus	West Germany	2/2	1986, 1990
2	Luka Modrić	Croatia	3/3	2018, 2022
1	Lionel Messi	Argentina	3/3	2014, 2022

Now let’s break down exactly why each of these players earned their spot.

#10 Rubén Baraja | Spain | 2/2 (2002)

Rubén Baraja’s perfect record came in a single, unforgettable night for Spanish football — the 2002 quarter-final shootout defeat to South Korea, preceded by a round-of-16 shootout win over Ireland. Baraja converted both of his attempts, doing his job under conditions that ultimately weren’t enough for his team. His inclusion here reflects a simple truth about this list: a flawless conversion record matters, even when the shootout doesn’t go your side’s way.

• Scored 2/2 across Spain’s 2002 knockout shootouts vs. Ireland and South Korea
• Delivered in back-to-back shootouts within the same tournament
• Part of a Spanish midfield trusted with high-pressure set duties
• One of the few players on this list whose team ultimately lost the tie he scored in

#9 Fernando Hierro | Spain | 2/2 (2002)

Fernando Hierro formed the senior half of Spain’s reliable 2002 penalty pairing alongside Baraja, converting both of his attempts in the same tournament. As Spain’s captain and defensive lynchpin, Hierro’s composure from the spot mirrored his authority throughout the rest of the pitch. His veteran presence made him a natural first or second penalty-taker in a squad packed with less experienced options.

• Scored 2/2 in Spain’s 2002 World Cup shootouts vs. Ireland and South Korea
• Captained the Spanish side during their run to the quarter-finals
• One of the most experienced outfield players in the 2002 tournament
• Formed a dependable senior pairing with Baraja under pressure

#8 Dirk Kuyt | Netherlands | 2/2 (2014)

Dirk Kuyt’s two conversions came during the Netherlands’ 2014 run, first in the quarter-final shootout win over Costa Rica and then in the semi-final defeat to Argentina. Kuyt was already in the twilight of his international career by that point, but his willingness to step up in back-to-back shootouts speaks to the trust his teammates placed in him. He remains one of the most efficient Dutch takers in World Cup history.

• Scored 2/2 across the Netherlands’ 2014 shootouts vs. Costa Rica and Argentina
• Converted in both a quarter-final and a semi-final in the same tournament
• A senior figure in Louis van Gaal’s 2014 squad
• One of only two Dutch players to convert twice that tournament

#7 Arjen Robben | Netherlands | 2/2 (2014)

Arjen Robben’s spot-kick composure in 2014 stood in contrast to the chaos he so often caused defenders in open play. Alongside Kuyt, he converted in both the Costa Rica and Argentina shootouts, helping the Netherlands reach the semi-final before eventually falling short. For a player whose game was built on unpredictability, his penalties were the opposite — calm, repeatable, and clinical.

• Scored 2/2 in the Netherlands’ 2014 shootouts vs. Costa Rica and Argentina
• Converted under pressure in consecutive knockout rounds
• The Netherlands’ most dangerous attacking outlet during that tournament
• One of the era’s most decorated wingers, adding shootout reliability to his résumé

#6 Carlos Dunga | Brazil | 2/2 (1994, 1998)

Carlos Dunga’s inclusion here is built entirely on rare cross-tournament composure. He converted in the 1994 final shootout win over Italy — arguably the highest-stakes penalty on this entire list — and returned four years later to score again in the 1998 semi-final shootout victory over the Netherlands. Two different tournaments, two different opponents, and a perfect record in both.

• Scored in the 1994 World Cup Final shootout win vs. Italy
• Scored again in the 1998 semi-final shootout win vs. the Netherlands
• One of the few players to convert in a World Cup Final shootout specifically
• Captained Brazil to their 1994 World Cup triumph

#5 Andreas Brehme | West Germany | 2/2 (1986, 1990)

Andreas Brehme is remembered above all for scoring West Germany’s winning goal in the 1990 final, but his shootout record deserves equal recognition. He converted in the 1986 semi-final shootout win over Mexico and again in the 1990 quarter-final shootout win over England, giving him a perfect record across two separate tournaments during West Germany’s golden shootout era.

• Scored 2/2 across two tournaments — 1986 vs. Mexico and 1990 vs. England
• Scored West Germany’s winning goal in the 1990 World Cup Final
• Part of the same West German core that dominated 1980s shootouts
• One of the most decorated full-backs in World Cup history

#4 Pierre Littbarski | West Germany | 2/2 (1982, 1986)

Pierre Littbarski’s shootout pedigree stretches back to the very first World Cup penalty shootout in history — the 1982 semi-final against France — where he converted his attempt. He returned in 1986 to score again in the quarter-final win over Mexico, giving him a perfect record spanning the birth of World Cup shootouts through to West Germany’s continued dominance from the spot.

• Scored in the historic first-ever World Cup shootout, 1982 vs. France
• Scored again in the 1986 semi-final shootout win vs. Mexico
• Part of West Germany’s run to consecutive World Cup finals in the 1980s
• One of only a handful of players with shootout experience spanning two tournaments in that era

#3 Lothar Matthäus | West Germany | 2/2 (1986, 1990)

Lothar Matthäus, one of the most complete midfielders in World Cup history, backed up his reputation from twelve yards with a perfect shootout record across two tournaments. He converted in the 1986 quarter-final win over Mexico and again in the 1990 semi-final win over England, forming part of West Germany’s remarkably consistent shootout core through the decade.

• Scored 2/2 across two tournaments — 1986 vs. Mexico and 1990 vs. England
• Went on to captain West Germany to the 1990 World Cup title
• One of only four players to win the Ballon d’Or as a defensive midfielder
• Central figure in West Germany’s era-defining shootout dynasty

#2 Luka Modrić | Croatia | 3/3 (2018, 2022)

Luka Modrić’s penalty record is the closest thing to statistical perfection this list has to offer outside of the top spot. He converted all three of his attempts across Croatia’s 2018 run — scoring in both the round-of-16 shootout win over Denmark and the quarter-final win over Russia — before returning in 2022 to score again in the quarter-final shootout win over Brazil.

• A perfect 3/3 across two tournaments — 2018 (vs. Denmark, vs. Russia) and 2022 (vs. Brazil)
• Converted in three separate knockout shootouts across two World Cups
• Named the 2018 World Cup’s best player as Croatia reached the final
• Croatia’s most trusted penalty-taker across back-to-back tournament cycles

#1 Lionel Messi | Argentina | 3/3 (2014, 2022)

Lionel Messi tops this ranking not just for a perfect shootout record, but for delivering it on the two biggest stages the format offers. He converted in the 2014 semi-final win over the Netherlands, then returned in 2022 to score in both the quarter-final shootout win over the Netherlands and, most significantly, the World Cup Final shootout win over France. No other player on this list has converted a shootout penalty in a World Cup Final and finished their career with a perfect record.

• A perfect 3/3 across two tournaments — 2014 (vs. Netherlands) and 2022 (vs. Netherlands, vs. France in the final)
• The only player on this list to convert a shootout penalty in a World Cup Final
• Lifted the World Cup with Argentina in 2022, capping his career’s defining tournament
• Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in football history, with nerve to match his technical genius

Honourable Mentions

A handful of players narrowly missed this top 10, and their absence says more about the depth of World Cup shootout history than any shortcoming on their part. Croatia’s 2018 and 2022 trio of Ivan Rakitić, Marcelo Brozović, and Nikola Vlašić all converted both of their attempts across Croatia’s back-to-back shootout runs, forming arguably the most dependable national contingent of the modern era outside of Modrić himself.

The Netherlands’ Teun Koopmeiners and Wout Weghorst represent an emerging modern pairing, both converting twice across the 2022 quarter-final defeat to Argentina and the 2026 round-of-32 exit to Morocco — a reminder that reliable takers can emerge even from a team with a difficult overall shootout history. Argentina’s Jorge Burruchaga and Sergio Serrizuela both scored in the same 1990 shootout, helping anchor their side’s run to that year’s final.

Diego Maradona earns a mention purely for narrative weight — he missed against Yugoslavia in 1990 but scored against Italy in the same tournament, a reminder that even the game’s greatest are not immune to shootout pressure. And Achraf Hakimi’s contrasting fortunes — a coolly taken winner against Spain in 2022, followed by a missed effort against the Netherlands in 2026 — illustrate exactly why consistency, not a single moment, is what separates the very best from everyone else.

• Also read: 10 Best Penalty-Saving Goalkeepers in World Cup History

Legacy and Future of World Cup Penalty Takers

World Cup shootout history keeps rewriting itself with every tournament, and the margins between glory and heartbreak remain as thin as ever. What’s clear from this ranking is that true elite status requires more than one big night — it demands showing up again, years later, under a completely different set of circumstances, and delivering all over again.

Messi’s and Modrić’s perfect cross-tournament records set an extraordinarily high bar, one that current-generation players like Koopmeiners and Weghorst are only beginning to build toward. As shootouts continue to decide an outsized share of knockout football at this level, the pressure on designated takers will only intensify — and the players who handle it will keep entering this conversation.

The next great World Cup penalty-taker is likely already active on the international stage. Whether they can match the composure of West Germany’s 1980s core or Argentina’s 2022 champions remains the question the next tournament cycle will answer.