Former Czechoslovakia international, Antonin Panenka, after whom the Panenka penalty is named, has praised Lionel Messi’s execution of his penalty taking technique, saying that he has never seen anyone execute it as well as the Argentine.
Messi converted a ninth minute penalty against Getafe at the Camp Nou on Tuesday night Panenka style to put the Catalan outfit 1-0 ahead.
It was Argentine’s 37th league goal of the current La Liga campaign and he later added a 38th to his account to take his season tally in all competitions to 49.
Panenka first scored in the classic style by dinking the ball down the middle of the goal as a hapless Sepp Maier dove to his left in the 1976 European Championship final played between Czechoslovakia and West Germany.
The style of penalty taking has been named in the 66-year-old’s honour as he was the first one to do it on such a stage. And he has lavished praise on diminutive Argentine for his perfect execution.
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“The execution was the best I've ever seen – not too powerful, central, good elevation”, Panenka told radio station RAC 1.
“Technically the goal was impressive.
“It is a further demonstration of [Messi’s] quality.”
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