Ranking the 20 Greatest Free Kicks in Football History

Free kicks are often football's biggest tease. The crowd holds its breath as the ball is placed about 25 yards out, the wall is set, and the goalkeeper barks instructions. Most of the time, the ball either smacks the wall or sails harmlessly over the crossbar, leaving fans to groan in disappointment.

Still, every now and then a free kick becomes a moment to treasure forever. Think of David Beckham or Cristiano Ronaldo, players who have delivered unforgettable strikes from set pieces.

At FourFourTwo, we gathered experts to rank the finest free kicks ever recorded, considering technical difficulty, visual impressiveness, and sometimes the importance of the goal. Some iconic attempts like Alan Shearer's 2002 strike were excluded because they were laid off from teammates, which was unfortunate.

The Top 20 Free Kicks

• 20. Dimitri Payet – West Ham vs Manchester United, 2016: A 30-yard curling shot that clipped the post and beat David de Gea, showcasing bend, pace, and dip.
• 19. Yohan Cabaye – Newcastle United vs Manchester United, 2012: A long-range effort that went in off the bar under swirling winds at St James Park.
• 18. Declan Rice – Arsenal vs Real Madrid, 2025: Two spectacular free kicks in a Champions League quarter-final, including a near-post curve and a precise "postage stamp" finish.
• 17. Cristiano Ronaldo – Portugal vs Spain, 2018: His World Cup free kick sealed a 3-3 comeback and completed his hat-trick with a trademark slow approach and powerful strike.
• 16. Paul Gascoigne – Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal, 1991: An FA Cup semi-final thunderbolt into the top-right corner that sparked Tottenham’s journey to the final.
• 15. Neymar – Barcelona vs PSG, 2017: A stunning near-post free kick that helped ignite one of the greatest Champions League comebacks ever.
• 14. Alex – Chelsea vs Arsenal, 2010: A rare Brazilian rocket from a centre-back, unleashing a powerful strike from 30 yards out to beat Arsenal.
• 13. Juninho Pernambucano – Lyon vs Bayern Munich, 2003: A master of the knuckleball, Juninho struck from over 30 yards, beating Oliver Kahn with his signature technique.
• 12. Marcus Rashford – Manchester United vs Chelsea, 2019: A wicked free kick that dipped and swerved multiple times, leaving the goalkeeper helpless.
• 11. Maynor Figueroa – Wigan vs Stoke, 2009: A lightning-quick free kick taken from halfway that caught the keeper off guard with its perfect trajectory.
• 10. Cristiano Ronaldo – Manchester United vs Arsenal, 2009: A remarkable 40-yard strike that defied expectations and flew into the net despite the distance.
• 9. Ronaldinho – Brazil vs England, 2002: A cheeky 35-yard free kick that fooled goalkeeper David Seaman, curling perfectly into the top corner.
• 8. James Ward-Prowse – Southampton vs Wolves, 2022: Known for his curling efforts, Ward-Prowse shocked by unleashing a 35-yard knuckleball straight into the top corner.
• 7. David Beckham – England vs Greece, 2001: A last-minute free kick that sealed England’s qualification for the 2002 World Cup and re-established Beckham as a national hero.
• 6. Hakan Calhanoglu – Hamburg vs Borussia Dortmund, 2014: A spectacular 41-meter free kick with such a strange flight path that the goalkeeper didn't even set a wall.
• 5. Cristiano Ronaldo – Manchester United vs Portsmouth, 2008: Possibly the best goal scored with the distinctive yellow and purple Nike ball, marked by perfect swerve and dip.
• 4. Dimitri Payet – West Ham vs Crystal Palace, 2016: Considered the Premier League’s greatest free kick; a precise strike with top spin that dipped sharply into the top corner.
• 3. Mohd Faiz Subri – Pulau Penang vs Pahang FA, 2016: A FIFA Puskas Award-winning free kick with an unbelievable erratic flight path that amazed millions worldwide.
• 2. Lionel Messi – Barcelona vs Liverpool, 2019: Messi’s 600th Barcelona goal was a stunning free kick that seemed to define his extraordinary talent.
• 1. Roberto Carlos – France vs Brazil, 1997: The iconic long-range "banana" free kick that bends wildly, baffling everyone and topping our list of the greatest free kicks ever.