Penalty Kryptonite: The goalkeepers who tamed Messi and Ronaldo

These men didn’t care who Messi and Ronaldo were, they defied the two GOATs and lived to tell about it…

In the world of football, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are synonymous with goal-scoring prowess. Yet, even these titans of the sport have met their match on the penalty spot, where two goalkeepers have famously denied them both.

Portugal’s thrilling progression to the Euro 2024 quarter-finals saw Cristiano Ronaldo dominate headlines for his emotional breakdown during extra time against Slovenia. Despite being denied from the spot by Jan Oblak, Ronaldo redeemed himself in the ensuing penalty shoot-out, leading his team to victory.

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Ronaldo and Messi’s careers have long been intertwined, with comparisons spanning every facet of their illustrious journeys.

Their penalty records are no exception. On the international stage, Messi boasts a higher conversion rate of 82.8%, having converted 24 out of 29 attempts. Ronaldo, meanwhile, has a success rate of 71.4%, scoring 20 out of 28 penalties.

Oblak, the Atletico Madrid and Slovenian shot-stopper, is one of the few keepers to have thwarted both legends. He first denied Messi in the 2015 Copa del Rey quarter-finals, though Messi quickly made amends by scoring on the rebound. Prior to his recent save, Ronaldo had a perfect record against Oblak, converting three penalties in previous encounters.

However, it is Diego Alves, the former Valencia goalkeeper, who has truly been the bane of both Messi and Ronaldo. Alves saved three of Ronaldo’s penalties across multiple seasons, accounting for 10% of all the missed penalties in the Portuguese star’s career.

Messi, too, fell victim to Alves in the 2012 Copa del Rey semi-final, a miss that didn’t stop him from leading Barcelona to a triumphant run in the competition.

Ronaldo’s tears and subsequent redemption against Oblak reflect the high stakes and emotional weight these moments carry. “The pressure is immense, but that’s what makes the game so thrilling,” Ronaldo said post-match, his voice tinged with both relief and determination.

Messi has also openly acknowledged the challenges of penalty-taking. In a 2018 interview with Catalunya Radio, he shared,

“I would like to be more effective from the penalty spot. But it’s difficult to work on penalties. It’s not the same taking them in training as it is in a game. The goalkeeper has a lot to do with it, too. If they guess right, they save it. But it’s obvious that I’d like to get better at taking penalties.”