In a world of stuttered run -up and pancakes, punishments become an art form, and at the moment there are not much larger Maestros than Joao Pedro from Brighton.
The Brazilian was the embodiment of Cool on Saturday and stepped up in the 98th minute to earn three massive points for Brighton in a dramatic climax to their 2-1 win over Fulham.
It was a huge moment in Brighton's season with the opportunity to get a huge blow to Europe, but you would not have known the way Pedro Bernd Leno made and the best part of 31,000 fans waited.
Even after the referee's whistle, he still waited seven or eight seconds before he shuffled to the ball and slid calmly back home.
This great showman had the entire Amex in the palm of his hand, and you could see that he loved it every second. But what is his secret?
“He trains it a lot,” Fabian Hurzeler revealed. 'I think these things you can change, so it's not just about shooting the punishment, but understanding the situation is full of pressure.
'Everyone looks at you, you have to stay calm and find the right technique and find the right corner.
“I think it's a quality to score so many goals through a penalty.”
It was the 13th fine goal of Pedro since it arrived at Brighton in the summer of 2023, and this period immediately earned his Spotkicks four crucial points from losing or signing positions – without the seagulls 10th, not sixth – and that kind of trust bleed in the team.
“I would put it all on him,” fellow goalkeeper Jan Paul van Hecke admitted when he was asked if there was anyone else he would like to take the crucial punishment.
But even the big Mohamed Salah?
'No. I think Joao Pedro is incredible to us at that time. '
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