In association football, or soccer, a penalty kick is awarded against a team that commits an offence for which a direct free kick would be awarded elsewhere on the field, inside its own penalty area, while the ball is in play. Such offences include, but are not limted to, holding, kicking, pushing, tripping or otherwise impeding an opponent and handball. Nowadays, the defending goalkeeper must remain on the goal line, facing the penalty-taker, until the ball has been kicked, but is allowed to move laterally along the goal line.
Of course, the percentage of penalties scored varies from one competition to the next across the world, but the Premier League, in which 20 teams play 38 matches apiece, for a total of 380 matches, each season, probably provides as representative sample as any. The inaugural season of the Premier League was in 1992/93 so, notwithstanding the complication of changes to the Laws of the Game, implemented by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), in the interim, three decades’ worth of penalty data is available.
According to the Premier League, in the 2022/23 season, for example, a total of 99 penalties was awarded, home and away, of which 75 (76%) were scored, 17 (17%) were saved by the goalkeeper and 7 (7%) were missed altogether. Tellingly, perhaps, champions Manchester City were awarded 10 penalties, of which they scored nine, while the three relegated teams, Leicester City, Leeds United and Southampton, were collectively awarded 13 penalties, of which they converted just six. According to football data provider MyFootballFacts, in the entire 30-year history of the Premier League, the percentage of penalties scored is higher still, at 83%, with 13% saved and just 4% missed.
The Football Association (FA) Challenge Cup, better known as the FA Cup, was inaugurated in the 1871/72 season and, in 142 finals since – the competition was suspended during the two world wars – several players have opened the scoring more or less straight from the kick-off.
Until May 30, 2009, the record for the fastest FA Cup final in history was credited to Aston Villa inside forward Robert ‘Bob’ Chatt, who, according to the FA, scored after just 30 seconds against West Bromwich Albion at Crystal Palace on April 20, 1895. However, various contemporary reports gave times up to 39 seconds and there was a distinct suspicion, later confirmed by Villa players, that the ball had ricocheted into the net off Villa captain John Devey.
The FA Cup final was first played at Wembley Stadium in 1923 and, again, until May 30, 2009, the fastest goal at that venue was scored by Chelsea midfielder Roberto Di Matteo against Middlesbrough on May 17, 1997. Di Matteo collected a pass from fellow midfielder Dennis Wise on the edge of the centre circle before driving forward into the open space and unleashing a right-foot shot, from 30 yards, which sailed beyond Boro ‘keeper, off the crossbar and into the net; the goal was officially timed at 43 seconds.
On that fateful day, May 30, 2009, Everton striker Louis Saha did quiz question setters a favour, beating both previous records when volleying home from the edge of the penalty area after just 25 of the FA Cup final against Chelsea. His record lasted 14 years, until June 3, 2023, when it was broken by Manchester City midfielder İlkay Gündoğan. Gündoğan, himself, kicked off, passing directly to compatriot Stefan Ortega in goal. From the resulting clearance, Erling Haaland won the first header and, challenged by Kevin de Bruyne, Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof misplaced his header directly into the path of Gündoğan, who volleyed into the corner of the net, with goalkeeper David de Gea a virtual spectator, after just 13 seconds.
The Football Association (FA) Premier League was established in 1992 with 22 inaugural members and, at the end of the 1994/95 season, reduced to 20 members ‘to promote development and excellence at club and international level’. Since 1995/96, conventional wisdom has it that 38 points or, in other words, an average of one point per match, is the threshold for avoiding relegation to the second tier of English football, the Championship.
Of course, the bottom three clubs in the Premier League table at the end of the season are relegated, but, since 1995/96, the club finishing fourth from bottom has amassed a fraction over 35 points, such that, more often than not, 36 points has been sufficient to secure safety in the top tier. In fact, since 2000/01, just four clubs – West Ham United in 2002/03, Sheffield United in 2006/07, Birmingham City in 2010/11 and Newcastle United in 2015/16 – have been relegated with 37 or more points.
The team that managed to retain Premier League status with a relatively paltry total of 34 points was West Bromwich Albion in 2004/05. Newly promoted, The Baggies were bottom of the Premier League table over Christmas, having already replaced manager Gary Megson with former ‘club hero’ Bryan Robson. Albion remained rooted at the foot of the table until February 22, 2005, but won three and drew three of their next seven matches, lifting them, temporarily, out of the relegation zone.
However, a 4-0 defeat by Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium halted their progress and, heading into the final round of fixtures on May 15, 2005, they were bottom again. On the final day, a 2-0 victory over Portsmouth proved sufficient, though, with relegation rivals Southampton and Norwich both losing and Crystal Palace only drawing, to leave West Bromwich Albion in a precarious, but safe, sseventeenth place.
Amidst the swirling tempest of the 2023 FIFA World Cup, Kylian Mbappé emerged as a force of nature, a meteor streaking across the footballing heavens. Like a bolt of lightning illuminating the night sky, his presence electrified the tournament, leaving fans and adversaries alike spellbound. With a blend of raw talent, boundless determination, and an unwavering spirit, Mbappé transformed the grand stage into his own personal playground, captivating hearts with a symphony of goals that defied logic and left defences in disarray.
With the grace of a dancer and the precision of a master craftsman, Mbappé’s boots painted a vibrant tapestry of goal-scoring prowess. The tournament unfolded like a gripping saga, with each chapter unveiling a new masterpiece of his making. Eight goals stood as testament to his supernatural touch, as he weaved through defences with a blend of speed, agility, and cunning that rendered opponents helpless and crowds breathless.
But Mbappé’s influence extended beyond the realm of mere scoring statistics. He was a sorcerer of playmaking, an alchemist of assists that lit up the stage. In the midst of his goal-scoring exploits, he conjured three magical assists, threading delicate passes and unlocking doors to opportunity for his teammates. With a flick of his wand-like foot, he orchestrated symphonies of attacking brilliance that echoed through stadiums and reverberated in the hearts of fans.
The world gazed upon Mbappé with awe and admiration, as his name became synonymous with goal-scoring excellence. The Golden Boot adorned his mantle, a crown befitting a true footballing king. It shimmered and sparkled, a symbol of his unwavering commitment to his craft and the rewards reaped from his relentless pursuit of perfection.
In the grand finale against Argentina, the stage was set for Mbappé’s magnum opus. With a flicker of genius, he orchestrated a mesmerising hat-trick, a trio of goals that transcended the boundaries of the ordinary. Like a maestro conducting an orchestra of destiny, he took centre stage, leaving defenders in his wake and etching his name in the annals of World Cup folklore.
The short answer is three. The first of them was Brazilian Mário Zagallo who, as a left-winger, won the Jules Rimet Trophy twice, in 1958 and 1962 and, as manager, won the trophy outright in 1970. Indeed, Zagallo played for one of the greatest Brazilian teams in history in 1958, participating in every game at the World Cup finals tournament and scoring the fourth goal in a 5-2 victory over the hosts, Sweden, at the Råsunda Stadium in Solna, Stockholm. In 1970, he managed the iconic, free-scoring team, featuring the likes of Pele, Jairzinho, Rivellino, that beat Italy 4-1 in the World Cup final at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
Next of the trio was German Franz ‘Der Kaiser’ Beckenbauer who, as a sweeper, led West Germany to victory in the 1974 World Cup, defeating a Netherlands team captained by Johan Cruyff 2-1 on the final at Olympicadion, Munich. Having become the first captain to lift the new Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup Trophy, Beckenbauer did so again, as manager, in 1990. In the last World Cup staged before the reunification of Germany,
which came into effect on October 3, 1990, West Germany beat Argentina 1-0 in the final at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
Finally, Frenchman Didier Deschamps, in his capacity as a defensive midfielder, captained his country at the 1998 World Cup, played on home soil, led Les Blues to a 3-0 victory over Brazil in the final at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, Paris. He was initially appointed manager, or head coach, of the French national team in 2012 but, after twice extending his original two-year contract, mastermined victory in the 2018 World Cup in Russia. France remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, eventually beating Croatia 4-2 in the the final at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.