The best free kick takers of all time have a special combination of mental fortitude and technical brilliance to curl high-velocity shots over walls or around them and past a stunned goalkeeper.
When it comes to free kicks, there are certain players who have earned their rightful place in the conversation of being some of the best kick takers of all time.
These football enthusiasts have perfected their craft and can send a ball soaring over any wall, beyond a goalkeeper’s reach, and into the back of the net with confidence.
10 Greatest Free-Kick Takers Of All Time
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10. Rogerio Ceni (59 free-kick goals)
Rogerio Ceni is considered to be one of the best free kick takers of all time – something incredibly remarkable considering he was a goalkeeper!
During his illustrious 25-year career, the Brazilian has scored an impressive 131 goals from dead-ball situations, with 59 of them coming from free-kicks.
Ceni spent most of his career playing for São Paulo and is known as the highest-scoring goal-keeper in the history of football.
9. Ronald Koeman (60 free-kick goals)
Ronald Koeman is widely recognised as one of the greatest free-kick takers of all time.
He played for both Barcelona and Ajax and was one of the highest-scoring defenders in his era, scoring nearly 25% of his career goals from free-kicks.
8. Lionel Messi (60 free-kick goals)
Lionel Messi is widely regarded as one of the all-time great free-kick takers.
Since 2014, he has scored an incredible 60 goals from direct free-kicks for both club and country.
His accuracy is stunning, with a goal from a free-kick coming every 16.5 matches on average.
This remarkable record showcases why Messi is not only considered among the greatest ever footballers, but also one of the most dangerous dead ball specialists of all time.
7. Zico (62 free-kick goals)
With an impressive 62 career free-kick goals to his name, Brazilian football legend Zico is widely recognised as one of the best free-kick takers of all time.
Zico’s shooting skills were known to be very accurate and his measured run-up was a sight to behold during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
6. Diego Maradona (62 free-kick goals)
Diego Maradona is undeniably one of the greatest soccer players of all time, and his success with set-pieces makes him one of the best free kick takers to ever grace the global game.
With nearly 20% of his career goals coming from free kicks, fans around the world have been mesmerized by his ability to bend the ball into net with impeccable precision.
His ‘Divine Free-Kick’ against Juventus for Napoli will surely be remembered as one of his trademarks, having scored 62 goals from set pieces in total throughout his career.
5. David Beckham (65 Free-kick goals)
David Beckham is widely regarded as one of the best free-kick takers of all time.
His dead-ball abilities have earned him a special place in the hearts and minds of football fans around the world, with his unforgettable goal in 2002 to take England to the FIFA World Cup standing out as one of his most famous strikes.
Throughout his career, he has scored an impressive 65 goals from free kicks, cementing his legacy as one of the best free kickers ever.
4. Víctor Legrotaglie (66 free-kick goals)
Víctor Legrotaglie has been hailed as one of the best free kick takers of all time, due to his stupendous shooting ability.
The Argentine football maestro, who rose to fame in the 1970s, is honored with an Olympic record of 12 goals for Argentina.
He scored a total of 66 goals from free kicks.
This legendary footballer is credited with immortalizing Mendoza football and even has a stadium named after him in Argentina.
3. Ronaldinho (66 free-kick goals)
For a Brazilian legend like Ronaldinho, there is no surprise that he is considered one of the best free kick takers of all time.
He had an impeccable ability to bend and swerve the ball from long distances and it showed in his impressive tally of 66 goals scored from free kicks in his career.
2. Pele (70 free-kick goals)
Pele is widely considered one of the greatest players of all time, and his free kick taking has stood out as one of his most impressive abilities.
His impressive technique enabled him to bend the ball both ways with power and accuracy, while also outsmarting goalkeepers with clever positioning.
In total, Pele has scored an impressive 70 goals from free kicks.
1. Juninho Pernambucano (77 free-kick goals)
Juninho holds the accolade of being the greatest ever free-kick taker of all time.
As part of a ‘Magnificent 7’, Juninho was known for scoring 77 goals from dead ball situations.
His revolutionary knuckle-ball technique was truly mythical and will forever be remembered in the annals of football greatness.
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