Who Liverpool fans want to take a last-minute Champions League final penalty in 2026

Liverpool supporters have tipped Dominik Szoboszlai ahead of Mohamed Salah to strike a potential last-gasp penalty in the 2026 Champions League final, according to a club-focused poll conducted after Friday’s round-of-16 draw paired the Reds with Galatasaray.

Rousing The Kop posed the question on its TalkingPoints platform: if everything hinged on a single spot-kick, would fans prefer Szoboszlai or Salah to walk forward? The result was almost a dead heat, with the Hungarian midfielder edging the vote 51% to 49%.

Szoboszlai’s growing reputation from 12 yards has fuelled the debate. With Salah on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations last December, the No. 8 assumed penalty responsibilities and converted one effort, although he also clipped another against the crossbar. Despite that miss, readers appear increasingly comfortable entrusting him with the most pressurised kick of all.

Comment threads on RTK’s Facebook page introduced a third candidate, Alexis Mac Allister, who has taken—and scored—one penalty for Liverpool, a calm finish against Manchester City in March 2024. While the World Cup winner garnered vocal support, he was not included in the original head-to-head poll.

Club tradition and seniority still point toward Salah receiving the ball if such a scenario arises, particularly if the moment doubles as a farewell act for the Egyptian. Yet the slim margin of the fan vote illustrates a shifting perception on Merseyside: Szoboszlai is no longer viewed as merely Salah’s lieutenant, but as a potential protagonist in Liverpool’s biggest moments.

The conversation will rumble on as Jürgen Klopp’s side pursue passage through the knockout stages and keep alive dreams of a Champions League showcase in 2026.