Should penalties be taken by the best striker or the calmest player?

Your top scorer may want the ball, but nerves and technique matter too.

Who should take a decisive penalty, and how would you choose?

From a matchday perspective, I reckon the crowd atmosphere plays a massive part in this. Walking up to take a penalty in front of a hostile away end is completely different from practicing them on a quiet training ground during the week. That is why I would always lean towards the calmest player over the biggest ego or the top goalscorer. You need someone with ice in their veins who can block out the noise of thousands of travelling fans trying to put them off, rather than someone letting the pressure of personal stats get to their head. Does anyone track conversion rates for cool-headed midfielders versus out-and-out strikers under intense pressure?