Top 10 Best Penalty Taker in Premier League History (Ranked)

Penalty is one of the most reliable scoring ways in football and the forwards have always bet on their scoring skills from the spots in the English Premier League. Since the beginning of the highly rated football competition, there have been many players who have mastered the skills of finding the back of the net from the spot. And in the ecosystem of professional football, many players have a rightful claim to become the best penalty taker in Premier League history.
From young guns like Cole Palmer to legends like Alan Shearer, several individuals have etched their names in the folklore of the English top flight for their calm and composed finish during penalties. As it might look, taking penalties is not so easy a task. You need precision, intellect, and some nerve to turn the spot kicks into goals. And players like English National Football Team captain Harry Kane made it a habit to score from penalties in their Golden Boot pursuit. Now, in the ever-changing dynamic of the game, one major question remains, who is the best penalty taker in Premier League history? Well, the list is long, but there are only a handful of individuals who have the nerve to slot it home when it matters most. At Sportsdunia, we have compiled the list of the top 10 best penalty takers in the Premier League of all time, based on several pieces of data.

List of Best Penalty Takers in Premier League History

It was not an easy task to find out the best penalty takers in Premier League history, but the records came in handy to choose the deserving ones. From giving early leads to their respective clubs to winning the game in the dying moments, these strikers have shown some nerve, stealing the limelight with just one kick of the ball.

How We Ranked the Greatest Premier League Penalty Takers?

Statistics and numbers have always shown deep intricacies of the game, which have captured the inner stories. Only the numbers of the penalty goals are not important in finding the best penalty taker in Premier League. Conversion rate and penalty goals in important matches have been taken into account to single out the most influential scorers, leaving out some big names in the process.

• Penalties Scored: A good penalty taker is a great source of goals. Players with the most penalty goals in Premier League history have been given slots in this list.
• Conversion Rate: Another important factor is the conversion rate of penalties. Many big names like Frank Lampard, have missed out due to their poor conversion rate, meaning they have not been consistent in scoring penalties.
• Penalties Missed: The Number of missed penalties reflects the measure of reliability. The more a player misses, the more he drifts away from his legendary stats. And the Premier League has seen plenty of elites faltering on big occasions.
• Success in High-Stakes Matches: In case of taking penalties and scoring them, what a player needs most is character. Scoring penalties against big opponents when titles or honours or survival are on the line, only the best ones have delivered.

Who is the Best Penalty Taker in Premier League History?

Taking penalties in a packed stadium, in front of thousands is not just any other kick. It needs an ice-cold temperament. The list of the top 10 Premier League best penalty takers has those names who have passed the grade with flying colours.

10. Bukayo Saka (Forward | England)

A young hero who learned his lesson in the hardest way possible after missing his penalty in the UEFA Euro 2020 final. The wonder boy of Arsenal Bukayo Saka, since then, has not only established himself as a great baller but also as a reliable figure in the box.
Once hailed as a loser, Bukayo Saka has now become the number two penalty taker after Kai Havertz for the Gunners. The young English winger boasts a 91.8% conversion rate, scoring 11 out of 12 penalties. A huge number in this context, isn't it?

9. James Beattie (Striker | England)

Next we have James Beattie, a true marksman. The reason why the former Southampton, Sheffield United, Everton and Stoke City player is on the list of the greatest Premier League penalty takers is his otherworldly record in scoring goals through penalties. A simple glance at his journey in English top flight outlines how lethal he was from the spot. Sixteen goals he scored in 17 attempts. Staggering!
The only time he failed to live up to the occasion was during a league game in 2006. But, his failure didn't cost him much, thanks to a victory of his club in that fixture.

8. Callum Wilson (Striker | England)

The West Ham United forward Callum Wilson's inclusion in the list of the greatest Premier League penalty takers is no fluke. The former Newcastle United star has an impressive scoring record from the spot. His journey in this regard was flawless until his effort couldn't find the target, thanks to Cardiff City goal-keeper. And that has put a dent in his penalty-taking achievements.
Wilson has been one of the most reliable operators in the box since his Bournemouth days. It's his composure and calm mind that have shaped his journey so far.

7. Erling Haaland (Forward | Norway)

Erling Haaland, a name that has somehow been synonymous with goals, is another forward who has made scoring penalties like walking in the park on a Sunday morning. It's just he can't stop scoring, especially when it comes to spot kicks. The Manchester City talisman Haaland saw his effort rebuffed for the first time in his English top-flight career when he was up against Sheffield United.
15 goals, 17 takes, 2 misses - these stats summarise the Norwegian's celebrated presence in front of goals. It doesn't matter whether the match is a worthless fixture or a title decider. Haaland will always go for goals, and he is good at it.

6. Danny Murphy (Midfielder | England)

Many might argue why Danny Murphy is not in our five choices on our quest to find the best penalty taker in Premier League. Well, you will have to ask that question to Joe Hart, who became a flying man to deny Murphy a 100% perfect record. The former Liverpool and Fulham playmaker earned a lot of well-placed respect for his clinical finish from the spot in the 2000s.
In his whole English top division journey, he missed one penalty during a match between Fulham and Man City in 2008. But, Murphy had the last laugh for the Cottagers emerged victorious after the final whistle.

5. Harry Kane (Forward | England)

It's impossible to keep an incredible penalty taker in Harry Kane out of the discussion of the best penalty taker in Premier League when his records are there to speak for him. With 33 goals to his name, the current Bayern Munich superstar was at his very best from the spot during his stint with Tottenham Hotspur.
There's a belief that when he steps up, he finds the net. Out of 37 penalty shots, he scored on 33 occasions. Not bad! But, apart from this staggering number, he has been slightly poor in his conversion rate, which is around 88%. But there is no shred of doubt about his inclusion in the list of the best penalty takers in Premier League history.

4. Cole Palmer (Attacking Midfielder | England)

Cole Palmer shoots, and Cole Palmer scores. This was the story for one of the greatest Premier League penalty takers in him, until a determined Mads Hermansen arrived with a different idea. The Chelsea star Palmer was one of the rarest players to have a perfect record, having scored 12 goals from the circled white line on 12 occasions.
But, just like every other story, his journey of perfection also came to an end against Leicester City this year. But the English attacker is that kind of individual, who stood against big teams and big crowds and silenced them with just a kick, a penalty.

3. Matt Le Tissier (Forward | England)

The Southampton legend, Matt Le Tissier is an iconic figure in English football and his claim to be the best penalty taker in Premier League has its own merit. During his time on the pitch, he took 25 penalty shots, converting 24 of them.
Often called “Le God”, Tissier built his god-like reputation amongst the Saints for his shooting abilities inside the box. His only miss from the spot came against Nottingham Forest in 1993.

2. Yaya Toure (Midfielder | Ivory Coast)

Yaya Toure is the only player on the list of the best penalty taker in Premier League to have a 100% record. The Ivorian achieved this glittering accolade during his time at Manchester City. He scored 11 penalty goals for the Citizens, never missing a single one in his entire English top flight career.
One or two steps, rarely a dummy and mostly grounded shots - this was how Toure used to put goalkeepers to shame during penalties. As a midfielder, he was very composed and skilful, traits that aided him in his penalty scoring ability. Had he played a few more years at Etihad, he would have added a few to his tally. What a player he was!

1. Alan Shearer (Forward | England)

Our pick for the best penalty taker in Premier League is Alan Shearer. The Newcastle United legend's number in scoring goals from penalties is mind-boggling. With 56 goals in the Premier League, nobody comes close to him in spot-kick supremacy. This record was like a piece of cake for the top scorer in English top flight history.
But, hard facts also tell a different story. He is the only player on this list to have missed 10 or more penalties. So, his conversion rate was poor and he missed a lot of penalties, reflecting an unlikely character in him. But, his scoring abilities and ice-cold demeanour in big games have made him the best player.

Honorary Mentions: There are multiple players who have also left and continue to leave their lasting impact on the Premier League by their penalty-taking precision. The likes of Thierry Henry, Ivan Toney, Julian Dicks and Alexander Isak have already achieved something with a great conversion rate that many players only dream of.