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“Panenka”

/pəˈnɛŋkə/

phrase · soccer

Definition:
A penalty kick taken with a delicate chip down the center of the goal in the hope that the keeper has already decided to dive to one side. It's high-risk, high-reward. Look cold as ice, or dumb as heck.
Origin:
Named after Czech legend Antonín Panenka, who famously chipped a penalty straight down the middle in the 1976 European Championship final.

Used in a sentence

“I still can't believe Díaz tried a Panenka with so much on the line. He'll never live that down.”

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Games At The Bar

WHAT PL TEAM MATCHES YOUR PERSONALITY?

Find Your Premier League Club

New to the Premier League? Take our quick quiz and discover which team matches your personality, values, and style!

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WHAT KIND OF FAN ARE YOU?

Want to get into soccer? Start here.

Answer ten questions about how the game works and we'll tell you what kind of fan you already are — and how to fill in the bits you don't know yet!

10
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2
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10,000+
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THINK YOU KNOW THE LANGUAGE OF SOCCER?

Understand soccer? Let’s find out.

Ten things we’ve overheard at the bar. Ten chances to prove you know what they mean. Plus: get your own personalised soccer 'style of play' at the end!

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2
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