These footballers were artists with the ball!
Crafting a perfect free kick is an art that only a select few footballers have truly mastered throughout the years. Each dead ball situation offers a chance to witness a moment of brilliance, captivating both fans and players alike. The lingering question often revolves around a player's ability to consistently deliver such moments of magic. In this article, we'll explore the footballers who have amassed the most free-kick goals in the sport's rich history.
With 77 goals from free kicks, Juninho Pernambucano tops the list. He was one of the best free-kick takers of all time, with a variety of methods for handling any kind of dead-ball circumstance. He was the first player to develop the long-range free-kick knuckleball method. The former Lyon player caused the ball to veer excessively in midair, leaving the goalie guessing. 44 of the 77 goals were scored in Ligue 1 while playing for Olympique Lyon.
The renowned Brazilian Pele occupies the second position. In every facet of the sport, he was exceptional. Seventy of his 765 goals were from spectacular free kicks. The three-time World Cup winner employed a variety of set-piece strategies and quick footwork to reduce swerving. During the 1970 World Cup, he scored a spectacular goal against Romania with a free kick.
Pele in full force
Of the footballers, Victor Legrotaglie is the least well-known. Victor is far superior to amazing players like Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Maradona, and others in terms of his ability to take free kicks, having spent his whole career in his home country of Argentina. Throughout his career, he declined several prestigious offers from teams like Juventus and Real Madrid.
Another Brazilian, whose skill on the pitch confounded the defenders. Along with his many skills, including shooting, dribbling, passing, and crossing, Ronaldinho was also an excellent free-kick taker. The World Cup champion was quite cunning in his play and kept his opponents guessing. He was assigned various varieties of free-kicks, such as curling over the wall, knuckleball, or under the wall.
David Beckham, one of the top English players in the league, was renowned for his crossing and passing skills. But he had a very excellent eye for the goal from set pieces. He was the only other Englishman to win league titles in four different nations. The last free kick of the game against Greece was the most important in Beckham's career. As a consequence, England won the game and advanced to the 2002 World Cup finals.
The inventive midfielder, known as the "White Pele" in Brazilian football, amassed over 500 goals for his club and nation throughout his playing career. Zico was one of the finest players of all time because of his precision and ball-bending skills. Zico's career-defining moment came when he scored a hat-trick of free kicks in a Serie A match while playing for Udinese.
Considering the Argentine's achievements in the game, it makes perfect sense to see his name on this list. The former World Cup champion was renowned for his accurate dead-ball shots and prolific style. With the ball at his feet, the legendary Napoli player was a wizard. His leadership, passing, and dribbling skills were unrivalled on the pitch.
Other players such as Rogerio Ceni (61 goals), Ronald Koeman (60 goals), and Marcelinho Carioca (59 goals) are also included when one talks about dead-ball specialists.
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