There, I’ve said it. They’re just too easy (for top-level professionals).
OK, if FIFA changed the rules so that whoever actually drew the foul would have to take the kick, then I could consider allowing it. That way, the player that does all the work and may have had a legitimate scoring chance can get credit for all of that.
Hockey and basketball both require the player that was fouled to take the kick. I really don’t understand why soccer doesn’t.
But, having someone get fouled in the box and then handing the ball to Mbappe or Kane or whoever, so they could have an 80% chance of scoring, and then counting it in their stats as if they scored a regular goal, is ridiculous.
I get your point, pk’s are kind of a cheap way to pad your goal count, especially if you aren’t the one that was even fouled. I like your idea of requiring the player fouled to take the kick, I would fully support that change!
Basketball and hockey, and probably loads of other sports, thought of it first.
Adding together shots that have a 20% chance of scoring with ones that have an 80% chance practically seems like a units error, like adding dollars and yen, or feet and yards, without doing any conversions.
Hockey does included penalty shots taken during a game in goals scored. It does not include tie-breaking penalty shots. Does soccer include the latter?
No, just the penalty shots that happen during regular gameplay.
Of course, those are really, really rare in hockey and are taken by the player fouled. In soccer, they happen all the time, often multiple times per game.
Also, hockey penalty shots are much harder than soccer ones.
ETA: About 30-35% in hockey, and they are only given for real scoring opportunities, vs. 80% in soccer, given for any foul in the box.