11 times elite players missed chances even YOU could have scored
Cristiano Ronaldo missed a tap-in that your cat would have scored last night. In fact, your goldfish would’ve scored it if it had legs — a simple fin-ish (sorry).
Everyone single one of us has missed a sitter, and the world’s greatest players are not immune. It’s important, a rite of passage, the bug in the football code that keeps stops the game from imploding.
We’ve compiled a gratifying and life-affirming list of GOATS being donkeys. Let us enjoy.
Cristiano Ronaldo: Al Nassr v Al Ain
Here it is — absolutely honking, isn’t it? xG of about 9. He’s cooked. Done. Finished. Terrible player. Never been good. KIDDING.
Ronaldo should just retire after this miss pic.twitter.com/NYPFzySdSd
— Football F*ck Ups (@FootbaIIFckUps) March 12, 2024
Lionel Messi: Barcelona v Eibar
He’s done too much. Overcomplicated it. Just put it in the net, son. If you’re reading this, Leo, and we assume you are, we’re available for coaching sessions at a reasonable price.
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting: PSG v Strasbourg
It was going in. It’s not even really a miss — he’s literally prevented a certain goal for his team. Genuinely have no idea what was going through his head. Terrible miss, superb agent.
Is this the worst miss of all time? 😂
Eyebrows were raised when PSG signed Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting from relegated Stoke City…
But this is something else 👀 pic.twitter.com/zSudeXAl1b
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 7, 2019
Sergio Aguero: Manchester City v Chelsea
Come for the miss, stay for the super out-of-place background music and Pep Guardiolo shoving his own forehead into the ground.
Raheem Sterling: Manchester City v Burnley
It’s the reaction for us. The dropping to the knees. The slapping of the floor. Just slid off his instep, isn’t it? And his soul slid out of his body.
The miss and the the reaction from Raheem Sterling 😂 pic.twitter.com/tJsQJRWAFt
— PETER ♐ (@UTDPeeter) March 10, 2024
Fernando Torres: Chelsea v Manchester United
We like this one because it features a rare stepover followed by counterintuitive movement in the same direction as the stepover. He did the hard work, El Nino, and then he f*cked it. Glorious. Don’t tell him we said that, though — he is massive, these days.
This miss by Fernando Torres against man united in 2011 remains one of the greatest miss in football history. pic.twitter.com/ialq4C6VYx
— BobDMachine ⚙️ (@HouseOfBhobby) March 11, 2024
Robin van Persie: Manchester United v Bayer Leverkusen
The stuff of legend, this one. Only footage available is grainy pre-war style film of someone’s TV screen. Possibly faded into the background of an otherwise outstanding performance by the Dutchman. We don’t forget, though. We never forget.
Can you name Manchester United’s XI from Robin van Persie’s debut in 2012?
Pele: Brazil v Uruguay
Vintage stuff from one of the best ever. Feels harsh including this miss because it would have been one of the best goals we’ve ever seen at the highest level… but it wasn’t. Keeper didn’t know what realm he was in for a few seconds, there.
Robert Lewandowski: Bayern Munich v Paderborn
To almost quote Thomas Muller, “we have Robert LewanMISSki… You know? LewanMISSki…?”
Erling Haaland: Manchester City v Manchester United
City were 1-0 down in the Manchester Derby when Haaland missed the unmissable. If he’d taken a deep breath, he could have blown it in. Pep needed a sit down, and Rodri was punching holes in the very earth itself. Erling scored later in the game and City won 3-1, obviously.
HOW has Haaland missed that? 😮 pic.twitter.com/W4bvNsfwto
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 3, 2024
Genki Haraguchi: Hanover 96 v The Snow (and Bayer Leverkusen)
So maybe you don’t know much about Haraguchi. Well, shame on you — the man has 74 caps for Japan and scored past Thibault Courtois at the 2018 World Cup. He couldn’t score past the weather in 2019, though. There is something wonderful about a proper snow game with an orange ball. This is your treat for making it to the end of our list. Lap it up.
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