Analysing PSG’s penalty takers: Neymar, Mbappe, Messi and Ramos

Despite PSG sweeping Montpellier aside this weekend, a big debate was formed around who should be PSG’s main penalty taker.

Kylian Mbappe won and then missed a penalty of his own before he was denied to take the second penalty of the game by Neymar. 

We’ve looked into the stats to find out who the best penalty taker is from the PSG squad. 

 

Lionel Messi 

Lionel Messi is arguably the greatest player of all time, but that’s not to say he is without his flaws.  

Messi is in the unique situation where he has scored more penalties than any other member of the PSG squad, but he has also missed more than anyone else. 

Throughout his career he has scored 104 of his 134 penalties which gives him a conversion rate of 77.6% from the spot. 

Since joining PSG he has scored two of his three penalties taken, with his one miss coming against Real Madrid in the Champions League. 

Penalties taken: 134 

Scored: 104 

Missed: 30 

Conversion rate: 77.6% 

 

Kylian Mbappe  

After signing his new bumper contract with PSG, Kylian Mbappe wants to be the clubs main penalty taker, but does his record back this up? 

Throughout his career he has scored 20 of the 25 penalties he has taken which gives him a conversion rate of 80%. 

Mbappe has taken fewer penalties than anyone else in contention for penalties and perhaps his inexperience sometimes is his stumbling block. 

Last season he scored five of the six penalties he took, with his only miss coming against RB Leipzig in the Champions League. 

Penalties taken: 25 

Scored: 20 

Missed: 5 

Conversion rate: 80% 

 

Mauro Icardi 

Mauro Icardi’s future at PSG is currently up in the air, but his penalty record has remained consistent throughout his career. 

Since joining PSG, Icardi has only taken two penalties and he has scored each of them. 

Icardi was Inter Milan’s main penalty taker and in total he has scored 28 of the 34 penalties he has taken, giving him a conversion ate of 82.4%. 

Penalties taken: 34 

Scored: 28 

Missed: 6 

Conversion rate: 82.4% 

 

Neymar 

The big debate surrounding the penalty taking duties at PSG seems to be between Neymar and Mbappe.  

Coincidentally, a similar narrative was rife at the time Neymar joined the club as he took the penalty taking duty off Edinson Cavani.  

The Brazilian still ranks as one of the best penalty takers in world football though and his conversion rate of 82.5% backs this up. 

Neymar’s unique stuttering run up usually does the trick for putting off goalkeepers and sending them the wrong way. 

In total, Neymar has scored 71 of the 86 penalties he has taken. 

Neymar has only missed three penalties for PSG, which is less than Mbappe despite Neymar having taken more. 

Penalties taken: 86 

Scored: 71 

Missed: 15 

Conversion rate: 82.5% 

 

Sergio Ramos  

While Neymar seems to have the best shot at being PSG’s main penalty taker, he doesn’t actually have the best conversion rate in the squad. 

After Cristiano Ronaldo's departure from Real Madrid in 2018, Ramos then became the club's main penalty taker. 

In total, Ramos has scored 30 of the 35 penalties he has taken which gives him a conversion rate of 85.5%.  

Since joining PSG, Ramos is yet to take a penalty although his record certainly puts him in contention to be taking them. 

Penalties taken: 35  

Scored: 30  

Missed: 5  

Conversion rate: 85.7% 

 

In conclusion, Neymar seems the best equipped to be taking PSG’s penalties as he has a more than consistent record of putting them away.  

Mbappe may have something to say about this though and Christophe Galtier will need to find a solution to keep everyone at the club happy.