Wojciech Szczesny is Poland’s penalty-saving expert… his heroics may be needed again in Qatar

There was a time in his Arsenal days when Wojciech Szczesny remembers being teased for his lack of success when it comes to avoiding penalties.

“I recently heard ‘Wojciech, you haven’t saved a penalty in a year!'” he said in 2014.

‘[It was not from someone at the club]it was from, say, a friend who is also a supporter.’

Wojciech Szczesny has saved two penalties in Qatar, avoiding one from Lionel Messi

Szczesny’s heroism ensured that Poland reached the last 16 of the World Cup.

Szczesny doesn’t have to wait that long these days with his reputation as a growing penalty saver.

His most recent brilliant save came on Wednesday when he challenged the mighty Lionel Messi.

The 32-year-old’s previous one came just four days earlier against Saudi Arabia and he was stopped on back-to-back penalties.

Especially vital too, as Poland only reached the round of 16 on goal difference. Invincibility spells from the penalty spot are nothing new for Szczesny.

Last season he stopped three consecutive penalties with Juventus and has kept nine out in the last two and a half seasons with club and national team.

Having repelled 23 per cent of the tries faced at Arsenal, six of 26, Szczesny has increased that to just under 33 per cent, 11 of 34, for Juventus.

Szczesny has also become an expert in saving penalties at club level for Juventus.

Three of the five he has faced for Poland since joining Juventus in 2017 have also been left out.

Throughout his entire career, which has also included spells at Brentford and Rome, Szczesny has saved 26 of 87 penalties.

Never lacking in confidence, Szczesny will relish rather than cringe in the penalty shootout battle between taker and keeper.

Plus, for someone who once described his biggest flaw as being lazy, Szczesny is anything but his go-to approach for investigating potential opponents from 12 yards out.

Szczesny highlighted the positive results he has had in recent years and the analytical work done with Juventus goalkeeping coach Claudio Filippi following his save in Saudi Arabia, explaining earlier: “We always focus on five or six pitchers”. [in a team] So you have to see who you’re up against.

‘You have to study your opposition closely and find out what they will do at the key moment. It’s not about emotions, it’s about the preparation we do.

Szczesny may be needed again to keep Kylian Mbappe and co. out when Poland take on France

If Messi had been so diligent, he could have avoided the technique he used against Szczesny at Stadium 974.

‘Depends on the policyholder [if it is hard to save a penalty]’ Szczesny said.

“I prefer to save penalties from players who pick a side, hit it hard and if you go for that side early you have a good chance of saving it.”

Poland will have to offer much more attacking threat than they did against Argentina to clinch a round of 16 clash with defending champions France.

But at least they have a last line of defense they can rely on if penalties play a role in deciding their fate.