Paris Saint-Germain star Ousmane Dembele has explained why he takes penalties with his supposedly weaker foot after stunning fans with how he took his spot-kick against Liverpool on Tuesday night.
Dembele pulled PSG level in the tie with a strike in the 12th minute and the entertaining clash at Anfield went all the way to extra time and penalties, where it was Luis Enrique’s side who prevailed.
The Parisian outfit were faultless from 12 yards, with Desire Doue dispatching the winning spot-kick after Gianluigi Donnarumma denied both Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones.
There were some fine penalties from a PSG perspective but none were better than Dembele’s.
The France international lined up as if he was going to take the penalty with his left foot, only to then switch to his right foot and smash the ball into the top corner.
Fans hailed the penalty as one of the greatest they had ever seen, in awe of his unique ability to change the foot he was striking with.
Dembele explains why he takes penalties with his weak foot
Many years back when he was playing for Rennes, an interviewer asked Dembele if he was left or right footed, to which he replied: "Left footed. I’m more left footed yeah."
But then the reporter pointed out that he takes penalties with his right peg and asked why, to which Dembele simply explained: "Because I shoot better with my right foot."
Dembele’s ambidexterity makes him a goalkeeper’s nightmare during penalty situations. His ability to use either foot with equal effectiveness creates unpredictability that gives him a significant advantage from the spot.
The former Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund forward demonstrated this skill during Euro 2024 as well, sending Portugal’s Diogo Costa the wrong way as France advanced through a penalty shootout in July.
According to TransferMarkt, excluding shootouts, Dembele has taken only four penalties in competitive matches during his professional career:
- Scored: 3
- Missed: 1 (in the Copa del Rey for Barcelona)
Under Luis Enrique’s management, Dembele has thrived in a false nine role following Kylian Mbappe’s departure, contributing impressively with:
- 29 goals
- 6 assists in all competitions
The two-footed versatility that Dembele possesses is rare even at the highest level of football. While many players can use both feet adequately, few can genuinely switch between them with such confidence in high-pressure situations like a Champions League penalty shootout.
This remarkable ability makes Dembele one of the most technically gifted attackers in world football today, capable of beating defenders on either side and finishing with either foot.
Want to improve your own penalty-taking technique? Study players like Dembele who demonstrate exceptional technical ability under pressure and practice with both feet to become more unpredictable to goalkeepers.