Even the greatest of players are haunted by the penalties they missed in crucial games. The impact of missing a penalty ended many great careers and even changed the landscape of international football.
Let us take a look at some crucial penalties misses by the biggest stars on the grandest stages of football.
Lionel Messi
Argentina v Chile, Copa America final 2016
The greatest footballer of the present era, Lionel Messi has a surprisingly ordinary record when it comes to taking penalties. He in fact has the record of missing more spot-kicks (8) than any Barcelona player in La Liga history. In fact, Messi misses 20 per cent of his penalties. Even then, the missed penalty against Chile in the Copa America final was a surprise from the footballer who is spot-on with the placement of his shots on goal. In the Copa final, Messi took the first of the five penalties and shot way wide of the mark. Messi was so devastated he announced his retirement just minutes after Argentina lost the final.
Asamoah Gyan
Ghana v Uruguay, World Cup quarter final 2010
This was a cruel joke on Ghana. The African minnows had a fairy tale run in the 2010 World Cup until they came up against Luis Suarez's wicked trick in the quarter final against Uruguay. Standing on the goalline during a skirmish in the five-yard box in the dying moments of the game, the striker stopped a certain goal with his hand and was promptly sent off. The Ghanaians protested vehemently and were awarded a penalty as consolation. Their captain Asamoah Gyan stepped up to take it himself. If he scored, Ghana would go into the semis. But Gyan's powerful shot hit the crossbar and flew out. This miss proved costly for Ghana as Uruguay went on to win and enter the semis. In interviews since then, Gyan says he has never recovered from that penalty miss.
David Beckham
England v Portugal, Euro quarter final 2004
Beckham was the go-to man for England when it came to penalties and free kicks and Euro 2004 was no different. With the match tied at the end of extra time, Beckham was a shoo-in for the penalty shootout. To the horror of England fans, Beckham stepped up jauntily and shot it hight into the sky. Yet again, England's cup of woe at major tournaments brimmed over.
Roberto Baggio
Italy v Brazil, World Cup final 1994
The pony-tailed Buddhist Roberto Baggio was the most feared player of the 1990s and Italy were so dependent on him that they kept him to the last spot-kick in the shootout. Brazil were leading 3-2 and Italy needed Baggio to keep their hopes alive. But the safest strike on the turf shot wild over the bar. It's a miss that haunted Italy right until they won the World Cup 12 years later.
Chris Waddle
England v West Germany, World Cup semifinal 1990
The curse of penalty misses for England started in 1990 when they took on West Germany in the semifinals of the World Cup. The Spurs legend Chris Waddle took the decisive penalty but shot the ball above the goal post which ousted England from the tournament. The impact of the miss was so bad that soon after the shocking penalty miss Chris Waddle's career saw a huge downswing. He was out of the national squad the very next year.