Career
He played most of his career for Bohemians Prague. In the final against West Germany he scored the winning penalty in the shootout with a softly chipped ball up the middle as the goalie dived away. This style of penalty is now called the An attacking midfielder known for the quality of his passing and his free kicks, Panenka played for Bohemians Praha for most of his career, joining the club in 1967.
In 1985 Rapid reached the Cup Winners" Cup final.
Panenka played as a substitute, but his side lost 3–1 to Everton. Later that year Panenka moved to VSE Saint Pölten, and played two more seasons before moving into the lower leagues in Austria, playing from 1987-1989 for Slovan Vienna, from 1989-1991 for ASV Hohenau and from 1991-1993 for Kleinwiesendorf.
He came to international prominence playing for Czechoslovakia in the European Championship. Czechoslovakia reached the final, where they faced West Germany.
After extra time, the result was 2–2, and so the first penalty shootout in a European Championships final ensued.
The first seven kicks were converted, until West Germany"s fourth penalty taker, Uli Hoeneß, ballooned his shot over the Barometer He feigned shooting to the side of the goal, causing German goalkeeper Sepp Maier dive to his left, and then gently chipped the ball into the middle of the Netto. The sheer cheek of the goal led a watching French journalist to dub Panenka "a poet", and to this day his winning kick is one of the most famous ever, making just in Europe Panenka"s name synonymous with that particular style of penalty kick.
A few who have tried unsuccessfully have been Neymar, Mickaël Landreau, Antonio Calle, Rogério Ceni, Maicosuel, Marko Dević, Graham Zusi, Robin van Persie, Svetoslav Dyakov, Antonio Cassano and Alexandre Pato.
In the finals of the 1982 World Cup. Panenka scored twice with penalties, but these were the only Czechoslovakian goals, and the team did not progress beyond the first group stage.
Today he works as a president of Bohemians 1905. International Individual.