Worst World Cup penalty misses of all time: From Roberto Baggio to Diana Ross

As the biggest event in football begins, we bring you the worst World Cup penalties ever seen

Roberto Baggio's kick sailed over the bar and with it, Italy's hopes World Cup hopes (Getty)

From the crossbar to row z, these shots went every which way but in the back of the net where they belong. Here are the five worst World Cup penalties of all time...

5. Michel Platini – 1986 Mexico – France v Brazil

Before becoming Uefa president, Michel Platini played a bit of football. In the quarter-final match against Brazil, Platini scored France’s only goal to equalise at 1-1, where the scoreline stayed for the rest of the match. When Platini went up to take his penalty kick, the ball skyrocketed over the bar. He was the only Frenchman to miss, but he can probably be forgiven considering France won the shootout 4-3.

4. Alberto Garcia Aspe, Marcelino Bernal, Jorge Rodriguez – 1994 United States – Mexico v Bulgaria

This spot goes to three players on the Mexican side because of their collective effort to knock Mexico out of the World Cup. Garcia Aspe scored the equalising goal in the first half, but that didn’t help him in the penalty shootout, when he kicked the ball well over of the crossbar. Bernal and Rodriguez followed by having their shots saved, gifting Bulgaria the shootout 1-3. (Skip to 6:47)

3. Chris Waddle – 1990 Italy – England v West Germany

The closest England came to repeating the glory of 1966 was in 1990 where they reached the semi-finals against West Germany. After 120 minutes, the game was still tied at 1-1, so England went to its first ever penalty shootout in the World Cup. After staying with the Germans through the first three kicks, Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle missed the last two shots to prevent England from advancing.

2. Asamoah Gyan – 2010 South Africa – Ghana v Uruguay

Tied 1-1 near the end of extra time, a Ghanaian shot was batted out of the air by Luis Suarez on the goal line - the only problem was Suarez wasn’t playing in goal. Suarez got shown a red card, and Asamoah Gyan got a penalty kick to advance his team into the semi-finals and prevent a penalty shootout. But, Gyan couldn’t convert the shot as he hit the crossbar. Ghana went on to lose the shootout 4-2.

1. Roberto Baggio – 1994 United States – Italy v Brazil

Roberto Baggio was having a fantastic World Cup until the last game, but scoring five goals in the tournament didn’t help him at all in the penalty shootout. With the game goalless throughout, the World Cup Final would be decided by penalties for the first time. Baggio's shot would have tied the penalty score, but the ball went well above the crossbar. Brazil won the shootout 3-2.

Bonus: Diana Ross – 1994 United States

Diana Ross probably never played football growing up in Detroit, so maybe her mistake is forgivable. In the opening ceremony, the American singer laughably missed a penalty kicked from about 6 yards away. What makes it even better is the goal posts inexplicably falling apart following her shot.