Home / Sports / Mbappé Trusted as Real Madrid's New Penalty Taker After Dismal Season
Mbappé Trusted as Real Madrid's New Penalty Taker After Dismal Season
5 Aug
Summary
- Real Madrid missed 7 of 19 penalties last season, the most by any top club
- Mbappé, Vinícius, Bellingham and Valverde all failed to convert from the spot
- Mbappé is now set to become Real Madrid's primary penalty taker, usurping Vinícius
As Real Madrid look to bounce back from a disappointing 2024-25 campaign, the club has entrusted Kylian Mbappé to become their new primary penalty taker. This decision comes after the Spanish giants struggled miserably from the spot last season, missing a staggering 7 out of 19 penalties awarded to them.
Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham and Fede Valverde were all culpable for Real Madrid's poor penalty conversion rate, with the Frenchman leading the way with three misses. However, despite Mbappé's own shaky showings from 12 yards out, the club now views him as the "leader of Real Madrid's attack" and has decided to hand him the team's penalty responsibilities moving forward.
This represents a shift in the pecking order, as Vinícius Júnior had previously been Real Madrid's go-to penalty taker before Mbappé's arrival last summer. The Brazilian missed twice from the spot last season, including a crucial miss against Atlético Madrid in the Champions League. He will now likely be second in line to take penalties, with Bellingham as the team's third option.
The pressure will be on Mbappé to break Real Madrid's penalty curse and build trust from the spot in the white shirt. The France international has successfully converted 50 penalties in his career for both club and country, but he will need to prove his consistency if he is to be considered as reliable a penalty taker as the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema or Sergio Ramos.
