Sporting Witness
Sporting Witness
The Panenka penalty
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June 24, 2021
10 minutes
Available for over a year
In June 1976, Czechoslovakia won the men’s European football championship with probably the most famous penalty kick in history. During a penalty shootout against West Germany, midfielder Antonín Panenka waited for the goalkeeper to dive and then casually chipped the ball down the middle of the goal. The technique is now known as a “Panenka” and has been copied by everyone from Zinedine Zidane to Leo Messi. Antonín Panenka talks to Ian Williams.