Antonín Panenka

Antonín Panenka was a clever, technically gifted midfielder who spent his peak years with Bohemians Prague in Czechoslovakia, known for his vision and set-piece prowess. But his legacy was forged in a single, nerve-shredding moment in 1976. In the penalty shootout of the European Championship final against West Germany, with the score level and the weight of a nation on his shoulders, he did the unthinkable: he gently chipped the ball straight down the middle as the goalkeeper dove. That moment of breathtaking audacity won the title for Czechoslovakia and created an immortal piece of football folklore. The 'panenka' penalty became a symbol of coolness under pressure, a move replicated—and often botched—by stars ever since. While he had a solid club career, including success in Austria, Panenka achieved a rare feat: he became a verb, his name synonymous with a specific, glorious kind of sporting nerve.