The title of the highest free-kick scorer is one that millions of football fans believe lies between Messi and Ronaldo, the two greatest footballers at the moment. However, you will be surprised to know that these two popular superstars don’t even come close to the best when it comes to free kick goals. This article will reveal to you the best free kick scorers in the history of football based on their performance.
Who is the Highest Free-Kick Scorer of all Time?
The highest free-kick scorer of all time is Juninho Pernambucano with 77 freekicks scored and he is easily one of the best footballers that Brazil has ever produced.
Free kicks are one of the best methods that players can use to score a goal. However, this method is also the hardest way to score. Hence, a player who successfully scores with a free-kick is highly respected.
Top 10 Footballers with the Most Free Kick Goals
From players with the least free-kick goals to players with the most free kick goals, this is a list of the footballers with the best free-kick goals:
10. Cristiano Ronaldo (57)
C. Ronaldo, a highly respected free-kick professional, prefers to score goals from a distance instead of close to the goalpost. Although his natural ability to score easily from the edge of the box has recently declined, there’s no doubt that he is still a threat in dead-ball situations.
Basically, Ronaldo uses the knuckleball technique when taking free kicks with just a little side spin to enable the airflow around the football to naturally direct its trajectory. His technique is extremely challenging for the goalkeepers of his opponents to stop due to the fact that they combine insane speed, unpredictable trajectory as well as lack of spin.
The five-time Pro Ballon d’Or winner easily boasts of several free kicks to his overall list of skills.
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9. Lionel Messi (58)
Lionel Messi, who has won the Ballon d’Or seven times and is one of the greatest footballers, is also an excellent free-kick scorer. He has a total of 58 free kick goals, which he scored in the past five seasons alone.
Messi is well known to use the “sprained-ankle” technique when attempting free kicks. Essentially, this technique allows him to spin and curl the ball well enough to outmuscle the goalkeeper. He holds the record for the player with the most free-kick goals in one season.
8. Rogerio Ceni (61)
With a total free kick goal of 61, Rogerio Ceni is another expert free-kick scorer. The majority of his goals came as a result of penalties and free kicks, and during his time, many goalkeepers were easily confused by the high speed and curl method which Ceni uses when taking free kicks. He is one of the footballers with the highest free-kick goals.
7. Zico (62)
Zico was a master in the art of scoring free kicks and definitely deserves a spot on this list. He was able to easily bend the ball to wherever he wanted, so he didn’t have the challenge of distance or difficulty, which may be a great obstacle for many other players.
To create extraordinary swirl and unpredictability with the ball, Zico mastered his free-kick technique by stooping back a bit while he hit the football with his instep. Doing this caused the football to rise and rapidly fall as it flew directly into the goalpost. Zico is considered one of the best free-kick takers and other players often credit the unique technique he uses.
6. Diego Maradona (62)
If you are truly a die-hard football fan, there is no how you won’t know the name, Maradona. Diego Maradona, also known as the Godfather of Free-Kick Specialists is a football legend and one of the best players to ever grace the field. During his days, it was almost impossible for other players to tackle the ball off of him because he was solid and strong.
Every single thing Maradona did on the field, especially his free kicks, showed intelligence and creativity. His fastball-bending skills enabled him to score even from far distances.
5. David Beckham (65)
Beckham’s ability to score free kicks made up for his absence of speed on the pitch. Throughout his outstanding career, he scored a total of 65 free-kick goals and although he was not an excellent scorer, he did well in dead-ball situations.
Beckham’s unique free kick techniques had excellent curl, pace, and accuracy. At the point of contact, his foot almost created a right angle with the football’s trajectory. For this reason, the “dead ball” spun well to curl nicely around the wall and enter the goalpost. He holds the record for the most free-kick goals in the history of the Premier League.
4. Ronaldinho (68)
During his time, Ronaldinho made many legendary defenders look foolish due to his brilliance and skillfulness with the ball. The Barcelona legend, who also led Brazil to victory in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, scored so many extraordinary free kicks throughout his eventful career. In fact, he is known to have one of the highest free-kick goals in the history of the Champions League.
3. Victor Legrotaglie (66)
Legrotaglie, a renowned Argentine player who spent his full career playing for his team, Gimnasia y Esgrima is another footballer who is known for playing great free kicks. Although he was wooed by some prominent teams, he stayed genuine to his team and led them to victory. Legrotaglie is currently 85 years old and had a long-standing and very eventful career. He spent most of it in fencing and gymnastics.
2. Pele (70)
It is rational to believe that Pele has scored other occasional free-kicks, given his remarkable goal total of more than 765 throughout his career. Despite his small stature, Pele put fear in the minds of many stronger and taller defenders. He also put their skill to shame.
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1. Juninho Pernambucano (77)
When it comes to free kicks, Juninho Pernambucano is the GOAT (greatest of all time), and this position will remain unchanged for a long time. On a correctly executed shot, Juninho could get the ball not spinning in the air and enter the goalpost without the awareness of the goalkeeper. Although the best players in the world have tried to mimic Juninho’s free-kick technique over the past years, none of them has come close because of how hard and tricky it is to execute.
Conclusion
With a total free kick goal of 77, Juninho Pernambucano holds the record as the highest free kick scorer and we don’t see this changing anytime soon. Although renowned footballers like Messi and Ronaldo have had their fair share of free-kick goals, they still don’t come close to Pernambucano. Hence, they have to up their game if they want to snatch this title in the near future.
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