3 penalties, 3 misses: the world record in football nobody wants

They say that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Well, by that definition, the Argentine footballer Martin Palermo should have been dressed in white and placed in a padded room!

Palermo, who spent most of his career in his homeland and a few seasons in Spain at the beginning of the century, scored nine goals in 15 matches for Argentina. However, if planet Earth had spun the right way around all the time, he would have scored 12 goals.

Interestingly, Palermo, who made his national team debut in 1999, represented Argentina seven times that year, and the remaining eight matches came 10 and 11 years later.

It’s also fascinating that Palermo’s name is in the Guinness World Records, though he probably wouldn’t want to be there—certainly not for THAT reason.

Star strikers stayed at home

To put everything into context, we need to turn the clock back to the summer of 1999, when South American football gathered in Paraguay for the Copa America. There were also two guest teams to make the total number of participants twelve: Mexico and Japan, the latter participating in the South American Championship for the first time.

Palermo was called up for the tournament. Since August 1998, he had become one of the most prolific strikers in the Argentine championship, scoring 32 goals in 35 matches for the local giant Boca Juniors that season.

Palermo was in such good form that national team manager Marcelo Bielsa surprised fans by taking him to the tournament as the main striker. Hernan Crespo and Gabriel Batistuta, shining in Italy, were left out.

Bielsa reaped the rewards of his good decision right in the opening match. Argentina defeated Ecuador 3-1, with today’s Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone scoring in the first half and Palermo shining in the second half with two goals.

In the second round, Argentina faced Colombia.

Palermo missed, Cordoba didn’t

Colombia also started with a victory in a tight group, defeating Uruguay 1-0. The match between the two teams with three points each would determine one of the teams advancing from the group, and Argentina began the game dangerously.

Only five minutes after the kick-off, Palermo had an opportunity to do something good for Argentina. A cross from the left was heading towards the tall forward lurking at the back post, but Alexander Viveros did not allow the shipment to reach its intended recipient: the defender played the ball with his hand. Referee Ubaldo Aquino whistled and pointed to the penalty spot.

Palermo took the ball so quickly that no Argentine could argue with him. But why would they: the striker was in excellent form for his club and the national team!

Colombian goalkeeper Miguel Calero tried to throw Palermo off by moving on the line. When it came to action, the goalkeeper jumped to his left, and Palermo aimed for the center. His effort crashed against the crossbar and flew over the goal.

Palermo’s miss was all the more painful as Colombia took the lead five minutes later, ironically from a penalty, when Nelson Vivas brought down Arley Betancourth and center-back Ivan Cordoba scored his second international goal.

Penalties here, there, and everywhere!

Just two minutes after the half-time break, Aquino awarded another penalty. This time, central defender Roberto Ayala nudged Hamilton Ricard in the back while the latter tried to head in a cross.

Instead of sending in the already-scored Cordoba, Colombia gave Ricard a chance. Argentina’s goalkeeper, German Burgos, saved his penalty, keeping his team alive. Their backs were against the wall, though.

About twenty minutes before the end, Argentina suffered a significant setback when an overheated Javier Zanetti was sent off. Despite being a man down, Argentina continued to press.

A little later, a cross from Palermo’s Boca teammate Riquelme, found the striker’s head. Again, Viveros had to battle it out with the tall forward. He lost the duel, the Argentine headed the ball, but it practically didn’t move an inch as the defender’s hand blocked it.

With hindsight, Bielsa’s men could have taken a cue from Colombia and changed the penalty taker. They didn’t and paid the price: while Calero jumped to the right, Palermo’s shot went over the goal.

Colombia won the game a few minutes later when substitute Edwin Congo scored from a corner kick. But Palermo’s show wasn’t over yet.

In the 90th minute, when Colombia was leading 3-0, Palermo outplayed Cordoba and broke into the penalty area. There, Jorge Bermudez challenged him; Palermo jinked to the right but collided with Cordoba, who was covering back. The striker fell, the defender protested, and the referee awarded a penalty. Again.

With two misses behind him, Palermo stepped up to take the third penalty. He shot to the left. Unfortunately for him, Calero jumped in the same direction and saved the ball from going in.

And so, Palermo secured a Guinness World Record he would have gladly avoided: he is the player who has missed the most penalties in an international match.