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While Bayern Munich beat UANL in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup to wrap up a historic sextuple of trophies, it was the third-place playoff game that produced the undisputed moment of the mini-tournament. And we all love a comedy penalty miss!
Brazilian side Palmeiras faced Al Ahly in the battle for bronze, with the Egyptian champions eventually winning on penalties to earn themselves a place on the podium after the match finished goalless in normal time.
Indeed, the writing was probably on the wall for Palmeiras when their very first penalty of the evening, as Rony produced one of the silliest spot-kick misses we’ve witnessed in a good while.
The 25-year-old forward opted for a stuttering run-up in an attempt to unsettle Al Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy, but made a complete hash of his technique, bumbling his way toward the stationary ball before sending a tame shot almost directly into the waiting arms of El Shenawy.
Thankfully, despite becoming an instant viral sensation thanks to his bewildering bungle, Rony’s blushes were somewhat spared when the two sides conspired to miss four of the first five penalties, but Al-Ahly did eventually win 3-2 to claim third spot.
In tribute to Rony and his dreadful spot kick, here is a fine selection of other, similarly strange, unusual and unsuccessful penalty techniques just to prove that he’s far from alone.
Remember kids: Just put your laces through it!
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With the Euro 2016 quarterfinal between Italy and Germany set to go to penalties, Antonio Conte subbed off centre-back Giorgio Chiellini and brought on Zaza for the final few minutes of extra time, hoping that an additional striker on the pitch would improve the Azzurri‘s chances in the shootout.
Sadly, Zaza was unable to repay his manager’s faith as he ballooned his penalty over the bar after approaching his penalty in much the same way Fred “Twinkletoes” Flintstone approaches a 7-10 split at the Bedrock Mega Bowl.
Yep, this is still awkward 😬
The Euros rewinds continue on @bbctwo and @bbciplayer at 13:30 BST with Germany v Italy from Euro 2016.#bbceuros pic.twitter.com/9ShKnlZX8l
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) June 17, 2020
Nominative determinism prevailed as Giresunspor’s Brazilian midfielder Dodo dispatched his penalty against Fenerbahce in the Turkish Cup with all the style and grace of a flightless species that has been extinct for over 300 years.
Amir Sayoud
Proving that Al-Ahly are no stranger to the mystifying penalty miss, here is Sayoud somehow managing to find himself lying face down in the turf before his comically wayward shot against Kima Aswan had gone out of play.
William Xavier
Botafogo forward William unleashed this truly unstoppable piledriver during a Copa Sudamericana second-round shootout against Brazilian rivals Fluminense in 2006.
To call it a “miserable dribble” of a penalty is to overemphasize the power he got behind it by several orders of magnitude.
Robert Pires and Thierry Henry
Two of the finest, most adept players of their generation team up to produce a work of sheer, utter idiocy.
Any excuse to watch this needlessly convoluted, overelaborate mess again (and again, and again).
Alessandro Del Piero
Del Piero versus Brad Guzan. There can only be one winner here, surely?
Unfortunately, the answer is a resounding yes — and he plays in goal for Aston Villa.
Landon Donovan
When the 2009 MLS Cup final between LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake went to penalties, it’s fair to say that the former — with seasoned vets like Landon Donovan and David Beckham on the pitch — fancied their chances.
Donovan stepped up to take the Galaxy’s penultimate kick, and promptly went through his routine. A quick squat, an even quicker prayer offered up to the penalty gods, only for “Mr MVP” to stand up and awkwardly hump his shot straight over the bar like a man who had never kicked a football before in his life.
Salt Lake would go on to win 5-4 leaving Donovan, the Galaxy, and the rest of MLS in shock.
Peter Devine
All these years later and Devine’s hopeless effort against Whitley Bay in 1991 is still the high watermark when it comes to abhorrent penalty kicks.
In hindsight, Peter Devine was lucky to escape without a booking to seal his cult misery pic.twitter.com/unLy7yZcGD
— Adam Hurrey (@FootballCliches) March 1, 2018
The Lancaster City striker waddles up to the ball, stumbles, but still attacks with all the gusto of a beached jellyfish, sending his “shot” trundling roughly three feet off in the wrong direction entirely.