11 Players With the Most Penalties Scored in Premier League History

Taking a penalty kick, as easy as it looks, is an onerous task. With the weight of a fanbase’s expectations on your shoulders with thousands of eyes on you as you step up from 12 yards out, it can be a make-or-break situation in some cases. Some players crumble while others are as proficient as they come when tasked with notching from the spot.

It’s not just scoring a goal, is it? The added pressure – as mentioned above – is something only a select few are able to handle with Cole Palmer, formerly of Manchester City and currently of Chelsea, proving his cool and composed nature in recent seasons – especially since his switch to west London.

Palmer’s reliability from the spot is well documented, but the 22-year-old has some way to go before he can break into the Premier League’s top 10 list for most penalties scored since the revamp in 1992. From Wayne Rooney to Mohamed Salah – take a look at the list below.

11 Bruno Fernandes

Premier League penalty tally: 20

Bruno Fernandes is Manchester United’s main man. Whether it’s dictating play, feeding the striker or scoring – either from long-range or in point-blank situations – the Portuguese seldom wanes under the mounting pressure. That notion has, time and time again, been highlighted by his tally of penalties since joining Manchester United in the 2019/20 mid-season transfer market.

In 169 appearances in England’s top division, the club’s creator-in-chief has notched 55 goals – 20 of which have come in the form of a spot kick – and in fact, there are not many players in world football that are more trustworthy from said position. Packing precision and power in abundance, Fernandes is as reliable as they come.

10 Leighton Baines

Premier League penalty tally: 20

Coming in at number 10 on the list is former Everton and Wigan Athletic left-back Leighton Baines who scored 20 goals from the penalty spot across his 420 appearances. A very consistent defender for nearly a decade, the Englishman had a wand of a left foot and became known for his superb abilities from dead-ball situations.

Things could well have been different for Baines with Everton turning down an audacious double bid for Baines and his Toffees teammate Marouane Fellaini from Manchester United. Nonetheless, there were not many people – in the Englishman’s pomp – that could rival his success rate in such a nerve-wracking situation. Props to you, Leighton.

9 Luka Milivojevic

Premier League penalty tally: 22

A surprising name takes the number nine spot with former Crystal Palace midfielder Luka Milivojevic coming in next on the list, with the Serbian midfielder, similar to Baines, having an extraordinary ability from dead ball situations.

During his time at Selhurst Park, the midfielder scored 22 goals from the spot for the Eagles in his 183 appearances for the South London side. Milivojevic departed Palace at the end of the 2022/2023 season and will surely go down as a cult hero.

8 Wayne Rooney

Premier League penalty tally: 23

A name that may well not be a surprise for fans of the Premier League is legendary England forward Wayne Rooney. The United legend, who is the club’s all-time top goalscorer, scored 23 goals from the spot during his time in England’s top division.

Perhaps it is a surprise that Rooney, who netted 208 goals in the league, only scored 23 goals from the spot throughout his glittering career. This figure could well have been higher for the Englishman, who is now hoping to get back into club management after an unsuccessful spell at Birmingham City, with Rooney missing a further 11 penalties.

7 Mohamed Salah

Premier League penalty tally: 27

The Egyptian winger, before moving to Liverpool to play under Jurgen Klopp, went down as a bonafide Premier League flop after his unsuccessful spell at Chelsea under Jose Mourinho, who never seemed to be a fan of the young winger.

However, since Salah made his move back to the Premier League following a very successful spell in Italy at AS Roma, the Egyptian has become an undisputed great. 164 goals and 74 assists from Salah during his time in the division, including 27 goals from the penalty spot, with the now 32-year-old being a very consistent presence from 12 yards for the Reds.

6 Jamie Vardy

Premier League penalty tally: 27

Number six on the list is Leicester City forward Jamie Vardy. The forward’s rise from non-league football to eventual title-winner with the Foxes is well documented and Vardy will go down as one of the best English strikers ever seen in the division.

27 goals from the spot for the Englishman is an impressive feat for the forward, who is still going strong for Leicester, with the 37-year-old netting 20 times for the Foxes last campaign. Leicester secured an instant return to the Premier League and that could see Vardy add to his penalty total.

Across his 337 appearances for Leicester in the league, Vardy has 140 goals and 45 assists and now that the Midlands club have made their way back to England’s top division, you wouldn’t bet against the experienced forward hitting the 150-goal mark.

5 Sergio Aguero

Premier League penalty tally: 27

It will be of little surprise that Argentine forward Sergio Aguero comes in at number five on this list. Joining the club from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2011, Aguero became an instant success for Manchester City and the Argentine scored the most important goal in the club’s history on the final day of the 2011/2012 season against QPR to secure the league title.

Aguero scored 27 goals from the penalty spot with his rather calm approach from 12 yards fooling opposition goalkeepers. The Argentine missed just six penalties during his time in England before a brief move to FC Barcelona was interrupted due to health problems, which eventually led to Aguero’s retirement.

The forward will be another who will go down in the history books as a Premier League great with 184 goals to his name for City – he is the definition of a world-class striker.

4 Mark Noble

Premier League penalty tally: 28

At number four, he is certainly not a world-class striker, but rather a West Ham United legend. English midfielder Mark Noble is a Hammers hero and was incredibly consistent from the spot for the East London side, scoring 28 goals from the 12-yard spot.

After coming through the club’s famed academy system, the Englishman played in midfield for the Hammers for 17 consecutive seasons before retiring at the end of last season. His best goalscoring season for West Ham came in the 2015/2016 season, with seven goals in the league.

He missed just five penalties in the Premier League for the Hammers and eventually became captain of the East London side due to his consistency in the middle of the park. He may not have the same number of goals as some of the other names on this list, but he will certainly be remembered as a West Ham great.

3 Steven Gerrard

Premier League penalty tally: 29

Beginning our top three is iconic Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard. Similar to Noble, Gerrard came through the club’s academy system and there is no doubt that he went on to become one of the finest midfielders ever seen in the Premier League.

During his years at Anfield, Gerrard scored 29 goals from the spot, with the Englishman developing a fine reputation for his abilities at dead ball situations. The debate continues to rage as to who is better out of Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Paul Scholes, but there is little doubt that the Liverpool legend will surely rank highly in these conversations.

Gerrard missed just seven of the penalties he took for Liverpool in the Premier League. He could have had a hat-trick of penalties scored for the Reds against their arch-rivals Manchester United, but the midfielder struck the base of the post in a 3-0 win back in 2014. Nevertheless, Gerrard will be remembered as a Premier League great and a very consistent scorer from the penalty spot.

2 Frank Lampard

Premier League penalty tally: 32

Frank Lampard will always be involved in the debates as to who is the best English midfielder to ever grace England’s top division, and the former Chelsea icon comes in at number two on our list. After moving to Stamford Bridge from West Ham United, the midfielder developed an extraordinary knack for late runs into the penalty box and scoring vital goals for the Blues.

During his time in West London, Lampard scored an impressive 32 goals from the penalty spot and missed just seven of the 39 he attempted in the league for Chelsea.

Despite playing as a midfielder for the Blues under several different managers, Lampard still scored 177 goals for the club and provided a further 104 assists, with the Englishman being the club’s all-time leading goalscorer in all competitions with 211. Lampard had an impressive record from the spot but still came out second on this list.

1 Harry Kane

Premier League penalty tally: 33

Perhaps unsurprisingly, former Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane has come out on top of this list. The English forward, alongside Alan Shearer, is one of the most prolific forwards in Premier League history.

With 213 goals to his name in England’s top division, there is no question that had the forward stayed at Spurs or moved elsewhere in the league, he would have broken Shearer’s goalscoring record. From the spot for Spurs, Kane scored 33 goals for the Lilywhites and, incredibly, missed just four penalties for the North London side.

The English forward completed a move to Bayern Munich last summer in the hopes of finally winning a league title, but the Bavarian side were pipped to the crown by Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen. Nevertheless, Kane will always be remembered as a Premier League great with an incredible record from the spot.

All statistics courtesy of the Premier League – correct as of 03/11/24