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Why players take Panenka penalties? Brahim Díaz AFCON final miss explained

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Why players take Panenka penalties? Brahim Díaz AFCON final miss explained
Brahim Díaz tried to be the coolest man in the stadium - and ended up living every penalty taker's worst nightmare.

In a chaotic, controversy-filled AFCON final between Morocco and Senegal, Díaz stepped up deep into stoppage time with the chance to decide the match.

After an extraordinary delay of around 17 minutes between the penalty being awarded and the kick actually being taken, the Real Madrid forward attempted a Panenka - a gentle chip straight down the middle.

But Senegal goalkeeper Édouard Mendy didn't blink.

He stayed rooted to the spot, calmly caught the ball, and turned Díaz's moment of swagger into a moment of misery.

The match went to extra time, and Senegal eventually emerged victorious - leaving Díaz visibly distraught, even as he later collected the Golden Boot from FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

It's the sort of miss that sticks. But it also raises a question football fans always ask after a failed dink:

Why do players chip penalties down the middle in the first place?

What is a Panenka penalty?

A Panenka is not just a penalty technique - it's a statement.

Instead of striking the ball with power into the corner, the taker slows down and dinks the ball centrally, relying on one idea:

The goalkeeper will dive early. If the keeper commits, the chip looks effortless.

The style is named after Antonín Panenka, who famously chipped a penalty down the middle to win the 1976 European Championship for Czechoslovakia against West Germany.

His audacious finish against keeper Sepp Maier became iconic, and created a penalty trend that's lasted decades.

Why do players take them? The real logic behind 'down the middle'

For all the mockery that follows a miss, a down-the-middle penalty isn't inherently a bad decision.

In fact, statistics suggest it can be the most effective option.

Across major tournaments historically, penalties struck down the middle convert at a higher rate than those aimed left or right - because keepers tend to guess.

The basic psychology works like this:
  • If the keeper dives, the middle is open
  • If the keeper stays, the taker looks foolish
  • The taker is betting the keeper will commit early - especially under pressure
And here's the key: goalkeepers are trained to dive.

Standing still feels unnatural. It also looks passive. So most keepers gamble.

That's why Panenkas are tempting: they exploit instinct.

The appeal: humiliation factor and psychological momentum

There's another reason players try it, and it's not purely tactical.

A successful Panenka doesn't just score. It embarrasses.

It tells the keeper (and the stadium): "I knew exactly what you'd do."

That's why some of the most famous Panenkas aren't just remembered for going in as they're remembered for changing the emotional temperature of a match.

Think:
  • Andrea Pirlo vs England (Euro 2012) - a psychological turning point
  • Zinedine Zidane vs Italy (World Cup final 2006) - outrageous under maximum pressure
  • Iconic club moments from the likes of Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry and Francesco Totti
It's football's equivalent of calling your shot.

So why do Panenkas go wrong?

Simple: the margin for error is tiny.

A normal penalty struck hard into the corner can still score even if the keeper guesses correctly.

A Panenka doesn't have that luxury.

If the goalkeeper stays in the middle - or even delays a split second - the kick is basically a gift.

And sometimes, keepers don't even need to guess. They read the body language.

A hesitation in the run-up, a slight glance, an unnatural slowing down - it can all scream "chip."

That may be what happened to Díaz.

The long stoppage and extended wait didn't help either. The longer a taker stands over the ball, the more chance doubt creeps in and the more chance the keeper gets inside their head.

Why the criticism is harsher when it fails

Miss a penalty into the corner? You'll be criticised.

Miss a Panenka? You'll be ridiculed.

That's because fans see it as arrogance - even when it isn't.

The reality is that a Panenka is not automatically showboating. It can be a calculated option, especially late in games when keepers are expected to dive.

But perception matters, and football is merciless with optics.

A failed Panenka looks like the taker wasn't taking it seriously - even if they were.

The truth: chipping down the middle can be smart, but it's unforgiving

Panenkas aren't "bad penalties." They're high-risk, high-reward penalties.

When they work, they're iconic. When they fail, they're haunting.

Díaz's decision likely came from logic: late in the game, the keeper almost always dives.

But Mendy didn't. Whether he spotted the technique early or simply gambled on staying central, he won.

And Díaz will be replaying that run-up for a long time.

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