In soccer, a free kick is an opportunity to kick the ball without interfering with the opposing team, and is allowed to the opposing team when the referee signals a foul or foul against a player. Now discover and explore the most free kick goals in football history.
Most goals from free kicks in football history
For football fans, it is fascinating to watch when a striker locates a narrow space in the goalkeeper’s net with a free kick, showing a high degree of skill and precision. It takes intense practice, sharp awareness and physical skill.
Scoring a free kick in soccer is considered one of the most challenging tasks due to various factors such as distance, accuracy and the defensive setup that aims to prevent the ball from entering the net. However, a rare group of players throughout history have shown exceptional skill and technical expertise in taking free kicks.
10 best ranked soccer players
This is a list of the top 10 free kick goals in football history.
Rank | Player | Free kicks scored |
1 | Juninho Pernambucano | 77 |
2 | Pele | 70 |
3 | Ronaldinho | 68 |
4 | Victor Legrottaglie | 66 |
5 | David Beckham | 65 |
6 | Lionel Messi | 65 |
7 | Diego Maradona | 62 |
8 | Baby boy | 62 |
9 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 61 |
10 | Ronald Koeman | 60 |
1. Juninho Pernambucano (77)
Juninho, a former Brazilian international, was known as a free-kick specialist; he tops everyone else’s leaderboard with 77 goals scored from free kicks, an unrivaled record. His famous curling shots from long distances were a spectacle, admired by fans around the world.
He showed his talent not only for Brazil but also for clubs such as Vasco da Gama and Lyon. Juninho introduced the “Knuckle balling” technique, hitting the ball with maximum power to eliminate spin, adding another dimension to his already impressive skill set.
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2. Pele (70)
Pele Considered one of the greatest players in history, the legendary striker was particularly adept at scoring free kicks, scoring an impressive 70 such goals for Brazil, Santos and the New York Cosmos. With three record World Cup victories in 1958, 1962 and 1970, Pele stood out as one of the most successful and beloved sporting icons of the 20th century.
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3. Ronaldinho (66)
The footballer, known as a Barcelona icon and 2002 FIFA World Cup champion, left a lasting impression with a number of memorable free-kick goals during his short but impressive tenure. He is among the best scorers in the history of the Champions League for free kicks. His outstanding ability to find the net from big situations resulted in a total of 68 goals from free kicks.
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4. Victor Legrotaglie (66)
Victor Legrotaglie, a retired Argentine midfielder, ranks fourth on this list with 66 goals from free kicks. His exceptional technical prowess and striking ability left a lasting impression. Despite receiving offers from Real Madrid and Inter Milan, the now 86-year-old chose to remain loyal to his local club, Gimnasia y Esgrima, where he began his professional career in 1953.
5. David Beckham (65)
Throughout his career, Beckham compensated for his lack of speed with his exceptional ability to take free kicks, earning him legendary status at Manchester United and England. His free-kicks were characterized by their pace, curl and accuracy, with Beckham’s foot almost forming a right angle with the ball after contact.
This technique allowed him enough spin to turn the ball around defensive walls and find the post, making him the best free-kick taker in the Premier League.
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6. Lionel Messi (65)
Lionel Messi, the modern football legend, has scored 65 goals from free kicks till date. He is fifth among all-time free kick scorers and leads among active players. The Argentinian maestro has delivered numerous excellent sets throughout his career, securing a place in the top 6 alongside Beckham.
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7. Diego Maradona (62)
Diego Maradona, with 62 goals from free kicks, was a controversial but exceptional footballer, famous for leading Argentina to victory in the 1986 World Cup and leading Napoli to two Serie A titles.
His brilliance on the pitch, especially in open play, dribbling, passing and lethal free-kicks with his left foot, defined his legendary status. Maradona’s ability to bend the ball at will during free kicks showed his technical skill and composure.
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8. Zico (62)
Zico, the legendary number 10 known for orchestrating play and scoring 48 goals in 71 internationals, is still regarded as one of Brazil’s best players, even years after his heyday in the 1970s and 80s. His superb technical skills and imaginative play extended to his deft free-kick taking, with the set-piece specialist matching Maradona’s career tally of 62 goals.
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9. Rogerio Ceni (61)
Rogerio Ceni, with 61 free-kick goals, had an outstanding career as a Brazilian professional footballer, particularly shining for Sao Paulo in the 1990s and 2000s. His total of 131 goals is staggering, with a significant proportion of them coming from dead ball situations, including penalties, and a significant number from free kicks.
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9. Cristiano Ronaldo (61)
Cristiano Ronaldo, with 61 goals, initially gained fame for his exceptional free-kick ability, especially his ball-on-feet technique early in his career. Although his free-kick skills have declined over the years, he still managed to score three times.
In March, Ronaldo showed off his free-kick skills by scoring two goals in five days. He first scored one goal for Al Nassr in their Saudi Professional League match against Abha, followed by another goal in Portugal’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Liechtenstein. His third free-kick goal of the year came during Al-Nassr’s game against Damac.
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10. Ronald Koeman (60)
Koeman is known as a great defender, and he also scored 60 goals from free kicks. However, he is legendary for his defensive skills. As a defender, he scored a lot of goals, he even made it to the top list of defenders who scored the most goals.
During his career at clubs such as PSV, Ajax, Netherlands and FC Barcelona, Koeman scored a total of 194 goals.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bg0yXq8huy2/?img_index=1 Disclaimer: The above information is for general information purposes only. All information on the website is provided in good faith, however we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, as to the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability or completeness of any information on the website.
Categories: General
Source: HIS Education