Vitinha and Mathys Tel's penalty misses are proof that ridiculous run-ups must stop

Telegraph

2 days ago

Vitinha and Mathys Tel took penalties that changed momentum in the Uefa Super Cup shoot-out – and were two of the worst spot kicks seen at the highest level of European football.
Both players missed the target after agonisingly long run-ups, with a trend of stuttering approaches to the penalty spot resulting in some recent embarrassing misses. It is getting to the point where you would be forgiven for thinking modern footballers are auditioning to join Monty Python's 'Ministry of Silly Walks'.
Paris St-Germain were immediately on the back foot in the shoot-out after Vitinha's miss, then were allowed back in the contest by Micky van de Ven's saved effort before Tel also missed the target, putting the Champions League holders within sight of a first Super Cup triumph.
Spain midfielder Gaizka Mendieta was the master of running up to his penalty with his eyes fixed on the goalkeeper, waiting for his opponent to make a move and rolling the ball into the other corner.
Arsenal 'invincible' Lauren also coolly stuck penalties away in this fashion, but it takes nerves of steel and perfect technique.
Bolt ran 100m quicker than time it took for Vitinha's penalty
Vitinha is one of the best players in the world, dictating play from his central-midfield role, but his penalty technique needs working on.
The run-up took an astonishing 9.79 seconds, slowly approaching the ball and keeping his eye on the keeper. In that time, Usain Bolt ran the 100 metres and had a few tenths-of-a-second to spare.
Vitinha won't want to see this again 🫣
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— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 13, 2025
PSG's midfield maestro clearly had his eyes on Guglielmo Vicario, but it means his no-look penalty needs a good connection. Instead, his penalty slid off his boot and went wide.
The Portuguese took so long to strike the ball that he nearly equalled the fastest goal ever scored in Champions league history –the 10.12 seconds required for Bayern Munich's Roy Makaay to score against Real Madrid in a 2007 last-16 tie.
Tel pays price for 'trying to be too clever'
With Van de Ven also missing, Tel needed to score or Spurs would lose a grip of the shoot-out. The French forward took more than nine seconds in his run-up, slightly slower than Vitinha at 9.19 seconds, stuttering to try to put off Lucas Chevalier and send him the wrong way.
With Chevalier diving to his left, Tel had most of the goal to aim for but side-footed wide with his finish.
Mathys Tel misses a key penalty 😬
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/GyQ4k7vnsY
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 13, 2025
'It's incredible. He knows the goalkeeper is away. I don't know if they are trying to be too clever,' said former Scotland striker Ally McCoist, working as a pundit on TNT Sports.
Other shocking run-ups
Eberechi Eze missed one during the Community Shield shoot-out last weekend when Crystal Palace defeated Liverpool despite their forward having his penalty saved by Alisson Becker. Eze took a slow, stuttering run-up, but Alisson went the right way and saved low in his right corner.
How it should be done
Rodrigo Bentancur led the way by running up to the ball and belting it. While Bentancur's effort went into the top corner, PSG striker Gonçalo Ramos smashed it down the middle, prompting the response of 'if in doubt, give it a clout' from TNT Sports commentator Darren Fletcher.
While she did miss in the Euro 2025 semi-final before tucking away the rebound, Chloe Kelly's goose-step did the trick in the final as she ran up and hit the ball hard with no stuttering, maintaining eye contact with the ball, rather than the goalkeeper.
ENGLAND ARE THE 2025 EUROS CHAMPIONS 🏆
IT'S STAYING HOME! pic.twitter.com/6ARGzBcCXL
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 27, 2025