Top Free-Kick Specialists in Football History
Free-kick taking is a skill admired across football, blending precision, power, and creativity. Here’s a rundown of some of the greatest free-kick takers ever, featuring world-famous stars alongside lesser-known talents.
32. Thierry Henry
One of the early 2000s’ best players, Thierry Henry scored 226 goals for Arsenal, including 174 in the Premier League. Among those were 12 direct free-kicks, marking him as one of the league’s finest with a silky touch.
31. Roberto Carlos
Not the most frequent scorer from set-pieces, Roberto Carlos was known for spectacular strikes. His famous 40-yard free-kick against France in 1997 remains iconic.
30. Marcos Assuncao
A Brazilian midfielder capped 11 times, Marcos Assuncao excelled in long-range free-kicks, playing a key role in Roma’s Serie A win in 2000/01.
29. Rivaldo
The Ballon d’Or winner’s skill extended to free-kicks, including a memorable goal for Olympiacos versus Liverpool in the Champions League.
28. Andreas Brehme
Known for scoring West Germany’s 1990 World Cup final penalty, Andreas Brehme also took free-kicks and corners with his less dominant right foot.
27. Gheorghe Hagi
Romania’s finest, Gheorghe Hagi netted crucial free-kicks, including the decisive goal in the 1986 European Super Cup final.
26. James Ward-Prowse
Praised by Pep Guardiola as the best free-kick taker he’s seen, James Ward-Prowse has nearly matched David Beckham’s Premier League record with his knuckleball style.
25. Zinedine Zidane
At his peak, Zinedine Zidane was among football’s best, scoring notable free-kicks against Spain in Euro 2000 and England in Euro 2004.
24. Jose Luis Chilavert
The legendary Paraguayan goalkeeper scored 67 career goals and took free-kicks at World Cups in 1998 and 2002, narrowly missing several times.
23. Michel Platini
Europe’s top player in the 1980s, Michel Platini won three consecutive Ballon d’Or awards, helped by his expert free-kick that opened Euro 1984’s final.
22. Juan Roman Riquelme
An elegant Argentine playmaker, Riquelme scored two free-kicks in a single World Cup qualifier against Chile in 2007.
21. Teofilo Cubillas
Peru’s best ever, Teofilo Cubillas impressed at the 1978 World Cup, including a stunning outside-foot free-kick versus Scotland.
20. Marcelinho Carioca
Brazilian midfielder Marcelinho Carioca reportedly scored close to 100 free-kick goals, including five directly from corners, shining at Corinthians around 2000.
19. Cristiano Ronaldo
Known for his knuckleball technique, Cristiano Ronaldo produced arguably the Premier League’s best free-kick, a precise strike for Manchester United in 2008.
18. Juan Arango
Venezuela’s finest, Juan Arango scored 80 club goals in Europe, with 15 free-kicks in the Bundesliga alone.
17. Andrea Pirlo
Italian maestro Andrea Pirlo scored 26 Serie A free-kick goals, combining accuracy and grace throughout his career.
16. Pierre van Hooijdonk
The tall Dutch striker was a rare free-kick specialist, delivering key goals during Feyenoord’s 2001/02 UEFA Cup success.
15. Rogerio Ceni
Brazilian goalkeeper Rogerio Ceni scored 129 goals, including 59 free-kicks, a record unmatched by any keeper.
14. Roberto Baggio
Winner of 1993’s Ballon d’Or and FIFA Player of the Year, Roberto Baggio combined styles of Platini, Zico, and Maradona to become a free-kick master.
13. Gianfranco Zola
Gianfranco Zola trained with Diego Maradona and scored 12 Premier League free-kick goals, matching Henry and Ronaldo.
12. Pele
Pele was dependable from free-kicks, scoring at three consecutive World Cups and finishing his career with a 30-yard free-kick goal.
11. Didi
Inventor of the knuckleball technique, Didi was a key part of Brazil’s 1958 and 1962 World Cup wins, scoring many free-kick goals.
10. Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho could bend or knuckleball free-kicks, famously passing this skill on to young Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi.
9. David Beckham
David Beckham set a Premier League record with 18 free-kick goals and is remembered for his 93rd-minute equalizer against Greece.
8. Alessandro Del Piero
Italy’s Del Piero scored 58 free-kicks in total, curling them over walls with precision inspired by Platini.
7. Shunsuke Nakamura
Japanese legend Shunsuke Nakamura dazzled at Celtic and Japan, renowned for his pinpoint free-kick accuracy.
6. Diego Maradona
Though famous for open-play goals, Maradona was also superb at free-kicks, influencing players like Pirlo and Zola.
5. Lionel Messi
Considered football’s greatest, Messi is an artist with free-kicks, producing unforgettable strikes such as the one against Liverpool in 2019.
4. Zico
Brazilian star Zico reportedly scored 101 free-kick goals, using a distinctive technique that baffled goalkeepers.
3. Sinisa Mihajlovic
Late Serbian defender Mihajlovic holds Serie A’s record with 28 free-kick goals and even scored a rare free-kick hat-trick for Lazio.
2. Ronald Koeman
The Dutch defender Koeman had a powerful shot that earned him the nickname “King of free-kicks,” highlighted by his winning goal in Barcelona’s 1992 European Cup final.
1. Juninho Pernambucano
Juninho Pernambucano stands apart, perfecting the knuckleball and regularly scoring from over 40 yards, frustrating many keepers during his time at Lyon.
