Football: If your life depended on it, who would you choose to put on the spot?

Graham Rix Coach

I'd go for Dennis Bergkamp of Holland. Cool as a cucumber. In England, Mark Stein here at Chelsea has impressed me: he actually pulls the ball off people to get it on the spot. You can practise in training, but until the spotlight is on you, you don't know what it's like to take a penalty. It's a nightmare. How well you've played has nothing to do with it. I was buzzing in Arsenal's European Cup-Winners' Cup final against Valencia in 1980, and my shot was saved. If the keeper had gone the other way it would have gone in.

Gary Lineker Footballer

You'll miss sometimes, no matter who you are, as Baggio, Maradona and Platini have all proved. And nowadays keepers move so early that, if they guess the right way, it's an even chance that they'll save it. I'd be quite happy to go with Baresi, Baggio, Pearce and Waddle - because they were prepared to take the penalties, which means they are brave enough not to worry about missing. But Romario would be my number one: he seems so single-minded and arrogant, nothing seems to faze him.

Brian Moore Commentator

Roberto Baggio - because he could never do again what he did in Pasadena. He has a wonderful technique, extraordinary skills and a very shrewd, clear brain. My feeling was that he shouldn't have played in the final anyway, because he wasn't fit, but I think his penalty was just an aberration. If he were fresh and ready to go, he would do it as well as or better than any. The final experience would concentrate Baggio's mind wonderfully, and I'd pick Franco Baresi as my number two on the same basis.

John Barnes Footballer

Definitely Phil Neal. He used to score penalty after penalty against Watford when he played for Liverpool. He was just so cool and he would always find a corner - either corner. I sometimes take penalties, but invariably I put them to the goalkeeper's right, I'll occasionally go the other way, but I'm not so comfortable there. More recently, Gary Lineker, of course, has taken some great penalties as have Eric Cantona and Jan Molby, who was also very cool and could put the ball in either corner with pace.

Julian Barnes Author

Stoichkov, because I was supporting Bulgaria in the World Cup: he doesn't ever seem to miss and he's got a completely cool temperament. He handled the pressure in the shoot- out against Mexico. My second choice would be Geoff Hurst on the grounds that he seemed to pioneer the approach of hitting the ball very hard to where the goalkeeper used to be - though that didn't work with Stuart Pearce in the last World Cup in Italy, of course. Yes, bring back Geoff Hurst - good to have an oldie in the team.

Jimmy Hill Pundit

I'd pick Baggio and Baresi, because they will take more care than anybody next time, and Stoichkov, because he's so lazy that he'll have plenty of energy to take one any time. More seriously, when I was a coach, I would always pick the strongest side- footer in the team. You can get enormous power and accuracy with the side of the foot, as Dunga showed with his penalty. In England, I'd pick Steve Bruce: he's very competitive and he's so nice that he would be forgiven if he missed.

Terry Venables Coach

If my life were to depend on it, I'd select Jimmy Hill. The keeper would be laughing so much, Jimmy would be a cert to score. In the modern game, two of the best penalty-takers I've seen are Teddy Sheringham and Matt Le Tissier. I've only really seen Le Tissier taking penalties in matches, but Teddy Sheringham I've worked with on a day-to- day basis and he is definitely up there. They both have the right temperament: coolness and calmness when the ball is on the spot and the necessary accuracy to match.

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