Top 10 Best Free-Kick Takers of All Time

Top 10 Best Free-Kick Takers of All Time

A free-kick goal - whether it be carefully placed, curling, spinning, or hurtling into the back of the net - is one of football’s most beautiful moments. The art of hitting a dead-ball from 30-odd yards outfield straight past an outstretched keeper is one that takes years of practice. Yet for some, it came naturally.

James Ward-Prowse, Kevin de Bruyne, and Trent Alexander-Arnold can all be cited as modern-day Premier League pioneers of the free-kick, and well worth honourable mentions. However, this list factors in football’s spanning history. Picking out ten individuals regarded as the best free-kick takers of all time.

10. Rogerio Ceni

A true icon of the game, Ceni is a unique addition to this list as he was a goalkeeper. Officially recognised as the highest scoring keeper in footballing history, Ceni scored 131 times during his career, as the designated free-kick and penalty taker at this club.

Spending the majority of his career at Sao Paulo in his homeland of Brazil, 61 of his goals were free-kicks, putting him amongst some of the greatest outfield players. Subverting the practice of a normal goalie, Ceni spent hours studying and practising his set-pieces. Developing an understanding of ball movement, giving him the capability to exploit defensive structures and strike the ball with varied spins and trajectories.

Ceni also represented his country 17 times, retiring at the age of 40 as one of the greatest keepers the country has witnessed.

9. Ronald Koeman

Another player who operated in the defensive third most of the time. Koeman scored over 250 times in his career despite playing in either the back line or defensive midfield. The top-scoring defender in football history, Koeman had brilliant accuracy from outside the box. His most memorable moment is without doubt the free-kick he scored to win Barcelona the 1991/92 European Cup.

Coming through Groningen’s academy, the same which has since produced Virgil van Dijk and Arjen Robben, Koeman never scored fewer than six goals in a single season over his 17-year career. Someone who will always be remembered for his thunderous set-pieces and performances in high-stakes matches.

#OnThisDay in 1992 🗓️

⚽️🚀🎯 @RonaldKoeman ➡️ European Cup Champion @FCBarcelona 🏆🙌#UCL #UCLfinal #OTD @FCBarcelona_es pic.twitter.com/5ySnWZL61I

— UEFA.com DE (@UEFAcom_de) May 20, 2019

8. Zico

One of the great players of the late 70s and early 80s, Zico claims that he scored over 100 free-kicks, but officially the tally is 62. His 5’8” stature meant that he was a nimble and creative advanced midfielder, renowned for his ability to bend the ball and score from dead-ball situations.

An inspiration to many modern-day players, Zico had a unique technique when it came to free-kicks, allowing to ball to rise over the wall and back down into the net with ease. This meant that he could score from most distances, resulting in the Brazilian scoring 62 dead-ball goals, mainly for his boyhood club, Flamengo.

7. Siniša Mihajlović

Serie A’s record free-kick scorer, Mihajlovic might not be with us anymore, but his superb strikes from outside the box remain etched in the memory. Playing the majority of his career as a left-back or centre-half in Italy, Mihajlovic was gifted with extraordinary long-distance striking, crossing, and passing ability. He is also one of two players to score a hat-trick of free kicks in a game.

The Croatian-born player once said: “I didn’t like football all that much, but the free-kicks were great. For me, a free-kick is football. If there hadn’t have been that, I might not have played,” Summarising his love for the dead-ball side of the game in a single quote. The Yugoslavian international would score over 50 free-kick goals in his career and is regarded as one of the greatest European set-piece takers of all time.

13/12/98 - Lazio 5-2 Sampdoria

Siniša Mihajlović Free-Kick Hat-Trick 🎯 pic.twitter.com/ZoAWUOxK7G

— My Greatest 11 (@MyGreatest11) December 13, 2023

6. Lionel Messi

The only active player on this list, there isn’t much Messi can’t do. By the end of his career, the midfielder could easily find himself higher on this list, as his tally of free-kicks scored continues to grow. It is no coincidence that 50 of Messi’s 69 free-kicks scored have come after his 28th birthday. He has worked incredibly hard to improve his dead ball expertise in the latter half of his career, and has been justly rewarded, creating memories such as that free-kick against Liverpool in 2019.

A master of all arts, Messi has scored almost every type of free-kick possible, no matter where he has travelled. Now sitting in third place on the all-time free-kick goalscorers list, dead-balls have become a key characteristic of Messi’s game in the last decade. Itis perhaps no surprise that the little Argentine standing over a dead ball leads thousands to whip their phones out and press record when the little magician steps up to strike one.

5. David Beckham

The highest-ranking European on this list, Beckham is one of the first names that spring to mind, especially amongst the English, when free-kicks are mentioned. His iconic, curling technique, which he perfected through countless hours of practice, became a worldwide brand. His most famous free-kick against Greece in 2001, which sent England to the World Cup, is iconic even amongst the most iconic free kicks.

Beckham has his plaudits too; Roberto Carlos recently named the player as one of the best free-kick takers he had witnessed, and he also holds the Premier League record for the most set-pieces scored with 18, although West Ham's James-Ward Prowse sits just one behind him.

4. Victor Legrotaglie

The only other player to score a hat-trick from free-kicks, Legrotaglie was a midfielder who played between 1953 and 1974, scoring 66 goals from free-kicks, putting him 4th in the all-time list. The Argentine spent most of his career in his home city, Mendoza, despite interest from European clubs like Real Madrid and Inter Milan.

Legrotaglie had mastered the technique of curling a ball, while he also scored a remarkable 12 ‘olimpico’ goals directly from corners. An old school baller who has legendary status within Argentina, remembered for his skills, and of course his countless free-kicks.

3. Ronaldinho

Ronaldinho’s free-kick against England in the 2002 World Cup Quarter Final is one of the most the most recognisable dead ball situations ever. The Brazilian scored 66 set-pieces, ranking him 4th in the all-time list. It comes at no surprise that this list is filled with Brazilians, as the nation has a special relationship with football, including the art of free-kicks.

Whether for Barcelona, AC Milan, or PSG, the Ballon d’Or winners' free-kicks had an unpredictability about them that was special. Focusing on accuracy and intelligence instead of brute force.

When Ronaldinho took this Free-Kick off Roberto Carlos 😂 pic.twitter.com/u3zToKiWIK

— My Greatest 11 (@MyGreatest11) July 2, 2024

2. Pelé

Free-kicks might not be the first thing that come to mind when Pele is mentioned, but he was still a master of them, scoring 70 in his career overall. Simply another bulletpoint on a countless list of things that made the Brazilian such a world-beating talent.

The ‘World Player of the 20th Century’ was active in the late 50s to early 70s, pioneering different free-kick methods including the modern bend, exemplified in his goal against Romania at the 1970 World Cup. He became an inspiration for free-kick specialists further down the line, such as the aforementioned Zico and Ronaldinho.

1. Juninho

The undisputed greatest free-kick taker to play the game is Juninho Pernambucano. Whilst he may not compare to other names on the list overall, many know him as the king of set-pieces. Scoring 77, the majority (44) coming during his days at Olympique Lyon, the club he won seven straight Ligue 1 titles at between 2001 and 2008.

It was Juninho that made the ‘knuckleball’ technique cool, but his method of striking the dead ball would depend on how far out he was. Using precision when closer and power when at a further range. He would also alter his run up depending on the angle he was shooting from. Juninho also made 40 appearances for Brazil, and was the Ligue 1 player of the year in the 2005/06 season.