Wide stance, deep breath, short run-up, a hard strike. Anyone who has watched football in the last twenty years could describe a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty with their eyes closed. The routine is among the most recognisable images in the sport.
Behind the routine is a pile of goals. Ronaldo has scored over 150 career penalties, one of the highest totals in professional football, and more than almost anyone in the game's history. His conversion rate across all competitions is approximately 84%, which is remarkable consistency given how many he has taken.
Where he has scored them
He has scored penalties in World Cup matches, in Champions League finals and in league deciders in several countries. The job has followed him from club to club, because no manager was ever going to hand the ball to someone else.
The approach is built on power. Ronaldo gives the keeper very little time, and the placement is usually good enough that a correct guess does not help.
He has turned the penalty into part of his brand, and that total of 150-plus may never be equalled. Say what you like about him, from 12 yards the man is a machine. Number 5.
Number 4 arrives tomorrow.
