Messi”s Panenka Penalty Miss:
What Is a Panenka Penalty Kick?
The quarter-final clash of the Copa America 2024 between Argentina and Ecuador was a pure cliffhanger. The World Champions were held 1-1 by the La Tricolor but eventually emerged victorious in the penalty shootout. However, the biggest headline of the match remains star player Lionel Messi missed the kick from the spot as he tried the infamous ‘Panenka.’ With that, many are eager to know about this technique and exactly how it came into fashion.
Well, the Panenka is a penalty kick technique where the kicker lightly taps the ball underneath, making it float into the center of the goal. This deceives the goalkeeper, who usually dives to the side. This technique was famously used by Czech player Antonín Panenka in the UEFA Euro 1976 final in Belgrade, where he outsmarted West German goalkeeper Sepp Maier to secure the championship for Czechoslovakia. While it may seem cool when scored, it has its own risks.
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