10 Greatest British Penalty Takers in Football History [Ranked]

Scoring penalties is one of the most underrated skills in football. With immense pressure and goalkeepers trying everything to put the taker off, the art of finding the back of the net from 12 yards is not as easy as it may seem. Some players cannot deal with the pressure, and shy away from taking them, whereas others love them, and see it as a chance at a free goal.

In Britain, particularly for England, penalty shootouts have often got the better of them, with many factors combining to result in failure. However, there have been some players, such as Harry Kane, who have rarely let their club or country down from the spot. Ranked by a number of factors, here are the greatest penalty-takers in British football history.

Ranking Factors

• Penalty record
• Performance under pressure
• Reliability from the spot

10

Denis Law

Notable Clubs Played For: Manchester City, Manchester United

One of Man United’s greatest-ever players, Denis Law, was an excellent forward who could score all sorts of goals.

A courageous, agile forward, Law could do it all, and penalties were one of his many great skills. Missing just twice during his career, Law was very reliable from the spot for both club and country. One of the best players of his era, Law is celebrated at Old Trafford for his remarkable ability around the penalty area, where he became a club legend during his near 400 appearances for the club.

Scoring 236 goals during his time at Man United, Law was a fine goalscorer, with penalties being one of his many routes to goal. Finding the back of the net almost every time he stepped up, the Scottish forward was very impressive from 12 yards.

9

Graham Alexander

Notable Clubs Played For: Scunthorpe, Preston, Burnley

Perhaps the least recognisable name on this list, Graham Alexander’s record from the penalty spot was quite outstanding.

The defender who made 40 appearances for Scotland scored a lot of goals in his career, with the majority being from the penalty spot. Spending most of his career in League One and the Championship, the defender was always reliable, as he turned out for Burnley and Preston among other teams in the second and third tier. Taking up the unusual role of taking penalties as a defensive player, Alexander’s penalty-taking ability was very impressive.

Missing just four times in his career, Alexander was remarkable at penalties. Taking 76 during his career, the Scotland man was always trusted, and he usually delivered the perfect result.

8

Rickie Lambert

Notable Clubs Played For: Southampton, Liverpool

A fantastic goalscorer throughout all of England’s top levels, Rickie Lambert’s rise to the top is inspirational.

Playing his best football for Southampton, Lambert was a dangerous striker, using his physicality and technique to bully defenders and find the back of the net. Scoring all 30 penalties he took for the south coast club, Lambert’s penalty record is admirable. Earning himself a move to Liverpool off the back of his impressive time with Southampton, the England striker wasn’t able to replicate his form at Anfield, but his penalty record remained intact.

Missing his three penalties whilst in League One and Two, Lambert appeared to improve as he went up the leagues. With much attention brought to his record after reaching the Premier League, Lambert was able to deal with the added pressure, and continued to find the back of the net.

7

Steven Gerrard

Notable Clubs Played For: Liverpool

The man who arguably carried Liverpool on his back for a number of years, Steven Gerrard, was the perfect midfielder. Dynamic, strong, and technically elite, Gerrard could do it all, and single-handedly won trophies for his team, with major moments including the iconic 2005 Champions League final comeback against AC Milan.

Scoring a lot of goals, including free-kicks and long-range strikes, Gerrard knew where the back of the net was, and penalties were one of many ways he scored. Taking some penalties with power, and some with placement, the Liverpool legend was great from the spot. Scoring in both legs of the 2012 League Cup semi-finals, Gerrard rarely let his team down from 12 yards, as he stepped up on many occasions.

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6

Ivan Toney

Notable Clubs Played For: Brentford

A player who may not have reached the level he should have due to his move to the Saudi Pro League, Ivan Toney, is still incredible from the penalty spot.

Brentford’s talisman throughout his time in the Premier League, Toney, scored a lot of goals and led the line exceptionally for Thomas Frank’s side. From 12 yards, Toney had a very distinct style, as he walked up to the ball, waited for the goalkeeper to move, and passed it into the opposite corner. This technique worked 11/12 times in the Premier League, with just Nick Pope able to outwit Toney.

Scoring a lot of penalties during his career, Toney’s most important was during the 2024 European Championships, as he netted against Switzerland during the quarter-final, to help England reach the next round. With a unique style which worked a treat, Toney is certainly one of Britain’s best-ever penalty takers.

5

Alan Shearer

Notable Clubs Played For: Blackburn, Newcastle

The Premier League’s all-time leading goalscorer, Alan Shearer, was unsurprisingly strong from the penalty spot.

Although the Newcastle legend has scored the most penalties in Premier League history, he has also missed the most, failing to score on 11 occasions. Scoring on 73 occasions, Shearer was generally reliable from 12 yards, with him often opting for power to beat the goalkeeper.

A man who certainly knows how to score goals, Shearer could do it all, from various distances and types of goal, with penalties being one of many ways he scored. With his classic style of smashing the ball, and his iconic celebration following, you always knew what was about to happen, but goalkeepers were rarely able to stop it.

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4

Frank Lampard

Notable Clubs Played For: West Ham, Chelsea, Manchester City

One of Chelsea’s finest ever players, and their all-time leading goalscorer, Frank Lampard knew how to score goals. Despite being a midfielder, the England man scored a vast number of goals, including 177 in the Premier League. From long-range, inside the box, and free-kicks, Lampard could do it all, which is why he is recognised as such a good player.

Penalties were something Lampard was fantastic at, scoring a lot in his career, including some on the biggest stage. Scoring from the spot in the 2012 Champions League final shootout, Lampard helped Chelsea to win their first Champions League, and helped to write himself into the history books. Once even taking three penalties in a row due to players encroaching into the box, Lampard was able to remain calm and was not phased by the added pressure on his back, scoring all three penalties for good measure.

3

Ally McCoist

Notable Clubs Played For: Rangers

A great scorer of goals, Ally McCoist certainly knew where the back of the net was.

Scoring nearly 400 goals in his career, the Scottish striker, turned legendary commentator, could do it all in front of goal, which has earned him legendary status at Rangers and for his country. From the penalty spot, much like his style of co-commentary, McCoist was perfect. Taking 45 spot-kicks, scoring them all, the great striker couldn’t be stopped by any goalkeeper. Finding the net in all different ways, from power to placement, McCoist knew how to score a penalty.

In a career where he scored a remarkable number of goals, penalty kicks were just another attribute he possessed at a fantastic standard.

2

Harry Kane

Notable Clubs Played For: Tottenham, Bayern Munich

One of England’s most reliable penalty-takers, Harry Kane always steps up when his club or country needs him.

With many iconic moments from the spot, Kane has never missed in a penalty shootout, which includes a Euros final, and a World Cup round of 16 victory over Columbia. The former Tottenham man has mastered the technique of scoring a penalty, and is able to score in all types of ways. Sometimes, going down the middle, slotting it in the corner, or rifling a strike into the top corner, goalkeepers never know what he is going to do.

England’s all-time leading scorer, Kane loves scoring goals, and penalties are one of many types of goals that he is elite at scoring.

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1

Matt Le Tissier

Notable Clubs Played For: Southampton

Renowned for his incredible record from the penalty spot, Matt Le Tissier was almost perfect from the spot.

A player who was much more than penalties, Le Tissier possessed incredible technique, and was sublime from all kinds of dead balls, including free-kicks. The Southampton legend took 48 penalties during his career, scoring 47 times, with his sole failure being in 1993 against Nottingham Forest, with Mark Crossley describing it as the feat he is most proud of in his career.

With the second-best conversion rate in Premier League history, behind Yaya Toure, Le Tissier was a master from 12 yards, and is undoubtedly Britain’s best ever.

All statistics correct as of 22.01.2025 via Transfermarkt.