The UEFA Champions League is commonly regarded as the world’s largest and most prestigious club competition, with a number of the world’s best teams competing for the trophy at the end of the season.
While there have been many excellent players who have competed in the competition in the past and present, some of them have not been the greatest when it comes to scoring from the penalty spot, despite their triumphs.
Here are the four players who have missed the most penalties in the history of the Champions League:
Lionel Messi: 5 penalties missed
On This Day: The King of Stamford Bridge! pic.twitter.com/KlgPcYC3Rf
— Leo Messi 🔟 (@WeAreMessi) February 20, 2022
Lionel Messi, widely regarded as the best player in the history of the sport, was thwarted by Thibaut Courtois during Paris Saint-1-0 Germain’s triumph against Real Madrid in the round of 16 first leg match. Despite this, the Argentina legend is the competition’s second-highest goalscorer with four titles to his record, all of which came during his tenure with Barcelona.
Thierry Henry: 5 penalties missed
Thierry Henry is perhaps the greatest foreign player in Premier League history, but he failed to win the Champions League trophy with Arsenal during his prime and had to travel to Barcelona to do so. During his time in the competition, the Frenchman missed five penalties, which matches him for first place with his old Barcelona teammate.
Sergio Aguero: 4 penalties missed
Sergio Aguero, another Premier League and LaLiga legend who failed to win the Champions League throughout his career were more successful in the Europa League. During his time with Manchester City, the striker who had to retire due to a heart issue came close to winning the cup, but it was not to be.
Ruud van Nistelrooy: 4 penalties missed
Ruud van Nistelrooy: “The Brazilian Ronaldo was the best player I played with. The goal I scored against Fulham, which was exceptional for me, for him it was more like his standard. His natural ability was far beyond anything that I’ve played alongside.” pic.twitter.com/ZLQgXMxG4n
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) February 22, 2022
There was no better goalscorer in football between 2001 and 2005, with Ruud van Nistelrooy scoring the most goals in three different Champions League seasons. Despite being incredibly prolific for both Manchester United and Real Madrid, the Dutchman did not win the trophy during his career.
Read: Inter Milan 0-2 Liverpool: Champions League Round of 16 1st leg
