Antonin Panenka on penalty fame a half-century on, playing behind the Iron Curtain and what Ireland can expect in Prague

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Czech legend looks forward to Ireland showdown, fifty years since his spot kick became famous and repeated across the world ever since

Aidan Fitzmaurice with Antonin Panenk at the stadium of Bohemians in Prague, the club Panenka served as a player and where he still has a background role.

In the few seconds it takes to park his car — it’s not a designated parking spot but as a national icon, he parks where he wants — and walk to meet his guest from Ireland, the 77-year-old is stopped for a selfie by a woman in her 20s. She’s young enough to be his granddaughter, but she is well aware of who he is.

There’s not just one halo of fame over the head of Antonin Panenka, but two. Here in Prague, he’s on home ground, literally, as we meet at the stadium of Bohemians, the club he served as a player and where he still has a background role.