Lionel Messi and Argentina were looking to end a 22-year wait for a senior trophy when they took on Chile, who were playing at home and looking to win their first major trophy in 99 years of existence. Suffice to say when the match kicked-off at the National Stadium in Santiago, there was a lot at stake. But after 90 minutes of play and a further 30 minutes of stipulated extra-time, the deadlock hadn’t been broken and it went to penalties.
And ultimately it came down to an Alexis Sanchez penalty. A goal from 12 yards by the Arsenal man was all that stood between Chile and their first taste of glory. And he chose to do this:
Of course, this isn’t the first time we have seen this kind of penalty. The audacious technique was invented and christened after Czechoslovakia’s Antonin Panenka, who made it famous during Euro 1976.
Since then, a host of football greats have pulled off the panenka . Here is Lionel Messi against Getafe last season:
And here is Andrea Pirlo for Italy during Euro 2012:
And the one that started it all. Antonin Panenka wins the 1976 European Championship against West Germany with the first-ever panenka:
It must take a lot of guts and audacity to attempt and pull off a panenka . But then, if you’ve waited 99 years for something, you have to end the wait in style!
