Micah Richards claims he took ‘worst penalty ever’ - it was a shocker

Micah Richards had Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker in stitches with his account of taking the ‘worst penalty ever’ during a pre-season game between Manchester City and Olympiacos in 2014.

The former City and England defender, who is now one of the most popular pundits on TV, was discussing the Premier League’s best ever set-piece takers for the Match of the Day Top 10 podcast.

Asked by Lineker if he took a penalty during his career, Richards said: “Not in a real game, in a pre-season. It was the worst penalty you’ve ever seen. It was so bad.

“I was giving it billy big time, wasn’t I?

“In training, you know training is different.”

Lineker added: “It’s like being on the range in golf.” 

Richards continued: “Stanch, putting them in no problem. [Manuel] Pellegrini was the manager.

“So, then we were on pre-season, we were playing someone in Greece.

“He goes to me, ‘You’re up’. I said, ‘What do you mean I’m up?’

“I said, ‘I’m not going to take one’, and he said, ‘Go on, you’ve been practicing all week, you’re really good at them.’ So, I’ve got up, haven’t I?

“Walking up because I don’t know how to act for a penalty, you can’t be shy but you can’t be, I was too over confident.

“You play mind games. So how shall I act?

“Shall I be the confident Big Meeks? Or shall I be the timid Micah?

“You know what I mean? So I was like, ‘Okay, let’s play the role of Big Meeks.’

“I’m walking up, chest out. ‘I’m gonna put you in the stands.’

“I don’t think I’m just gonna roll it in, I tried to put in the stanch. Just as I was I got not cramp, it was like nervous energy through my legs – and I’ve hit it and it’s gone about five or six yards over the bar.”

Lineker asked if it was like Kepa Arrizabalaga’s spot-kick in the recent Carabao Cup final