England lost 1-2 to France in the last quarterfinal of th FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 on Saturday after a costly penalty miss from striker and skipper Harry Kane.
Kane had converted one spot kick awarded in the 54th minute of the match but he skied the second one awarded half an hour later which could have been the equaliser.
However, this was not the first shocking penalty miss at a World Cup.
Here’s a look at some of the most shocking penalty misses in the history of FIFA World Cup:-
Roberto Baggio (Italy) vs Brazil - 1994 World Cup Final - Pasadena, USA
FILE PHOTO: Brazilian striker Bebeto leaps into the arms of goalkeeper Claudio Taffarel (L) as Italy’s Roberto Baggio (C) stares at the ground after missing the penalty kick which cost his team the World Cup during the final in Pasadena, California on July 17, 1994. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
Roberto Baggio had been Italy’s hero of the 1994 edition leading up to the final. He had scored five goals in three knockout fixtures. However, in a tightly contested summit clash, neither Italy nor Brazil could score which meant the World Cup winner was to be decided via penalty shootout.
After the first four spot kicks, Italy was trailing 2-3 and Baggio, the fifth penalty taker for the European nation, had to score to keep his team’s hopes alive.
However, Baggio, nicknamed ‘Il Divin Codino’ (the Divine Ponytail), sent his shot over the bar.
Later, in his autobiography, he wrote, “I knew [Taffarel] always dived so I decided to shoot for the middle, about halfway up, so he couldn’t get it with his feet.
“It was an intelligent decision because Taffarel did go to his left, and he would never have got to the shot I planned. Unfortunately, and I don’t know how, the ball went up three metres and flew over the crossbar.”
David Trezeguet (France) vs Italy - 2006 World Cup Final - Berlin
FILE PHOTO: France’s David Trezeguet hits the cross bar during the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 Final penalty shootout against Italy at the Olympic Stadium on July 9, 2006 in Berlin, Germany. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Zinedine Zidane, France’s hero of the 1998 title-winning team, was enjoying the most wonderful of swansongs, guiding Le Bleus to another World Cup final in 2006. There, too, he gave France the early lead, but Marco Materazzi had something else in mind for the master.
After Italy had equalised, he provoked Zidane with one barb too many. The Frenchman of Algerian origin lost his head in extra-time and head-butted Materazzi with the whole world watching. Zidane was sent off as the match entered penalty shootout.
In the shootout, won 5-3 by Italy, the only player to miss from the spot was David Trezeguet. The Frenchman, who had led France to the European Championship title against the same opponent in 2000 with a golden goal, hit the crossbar with his kick.
Asamoah Gyan (Ghana) vs Uruguay - 2010 World Cup Quarterfinal - Johannesburg, South Africa
FILE PHOTO: Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan eacts as he misses a late penalty kick in extra time during the 2010 FIFA World Cup Quarter Final against Uruguay at the Soccer City stadium on July 2, 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
Before Morocco became the first African nation to reach a World semifinal on Saturday, Ghana was the team that had come the closest to achieving the feat 12 years ago.
In the quarterfinal against Uruguay, Sulley Muntari gave Ghana the lead with a strike from 40 yards in the second minute of added time in the first half. Ten minutes into the second half, Diego Forlan equalised for Uruguay from a free kick.
Late in extra time, Uruguay forward Luis Suarez was sent off after stopping a goal-bound header from Dominic Adiyiah with his hands. However, Asamoah Gyan grazed the crossbar with his penalty kick and then clutched his head in his hands as the opportunity of a lifetime slipped by.
Uruguay eventually beat Ghana 4-2 in the penalty shootout.
Lionel Messi (Argentina) vs Iceland - 2018 World Cup Group Stage - Moscow
Argentina was facing tough competition from World Cup debutant Iceland in its tournament opener in Moscow in 2018. Sergio Aguero’s goal in the 19th minute was cancelled by a strike from Alfred Finnbogason four minutes later.
However, Albiceleste had the chance to score the winner in the 64th minute when it was awarded a penalty.
To everyone’s surprise, Lionel Messi’s left-footed kick from the spot was a poor attempt and Iceland goalkeeper Hannes Thór Halldórsson dived the right way to palm the ball away.
Had it not been for a Marcos Rojo winner in the final group stage match against Nigeria, Argentina might not have even made it to the knockout round and Messi’s penalty miss could have been one of the deciding factors in it.
Robert Lewandowski (Poland) vs Mexico - 2022 World Cup Group Stage - Doha
Mexico’s goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa saves a penalty kick by Poland’s Robert Lewandowski during the FIFA World Cup Group C match at the Stadium 974 in Doha, Qatar on Nov. 22, 2022. | Photo Credit: AP
Poland’s Group C opener against Mexico at the ongoing edition in Qatar was proving to be a snoozefest when all of a sudden, the European team won a penalty.
Robert Lewandowski, one of the most prolific strikers with 76 international goals at that time, stepped up to take the spot kick. The Polish forward had the opportunity to break his World Cup duck but his effort, headed towards the bottom-right corner, was saved brilliantly by Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa. The fixture eventually ended in a goalless draw.
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