If you’ve ever witnessed a direct free-kick goal, you know that it’s one of the most jaw-dropping sights in soccer. Pulling it off requires skill, finesse, and composure that only the best players possess.
There are countless techniques for taking a free kick, but normally, the taker needs to aim for enough height and curl to get the ball over the wall and enough dip to avoid the goalkeeper’s outstretched hands.
Oh, and not forgetting the sudden turn of the ball – curving down like a bad crypto market chart.
There’s something special about a free-kick specialist – the anticipation surrounding the potential for a game-changing goal is palpable. The crowd gets all hyped up, the tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife, and then GOAL!
For the best players, a free kick is like a free roll of the dice – a chance to showcase their talent and make magic happen.
This article was published on March 25 2023 and updated on August 27 2024
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Players With The Most Free Kick Goals In History
These are the soccer players who can BEND it like Beckham and hit it HARD like Ronaldo. Believe it or not, it’s not just the most skilful attackers or midfielders who can do it – even the defenders and goalkeepers have been known to strike in a beautiful free-kick.
So without further ado, let’s take a look at CheapGoal’s top 12 soccer players in history who have scored the most free-kick goals.
These are free-kick specialists, the masters of the dead ball, the kings of hard hits and curves.
1. Juninho (77 free-kick goals)
As a soccer lover, when you hear the name Juninho, you don’t need to rush to Google to check whether he’s a pop star or model, you know for sure the name is for the king of free-kicks!
The former Lyon star has scored more free-kick goals than anyone else in soccer history, and he did it in grand style.
To really grasp how he became the world’s greatest free-kick taker, you need to understand his ‘Knuckle Ball’ technique.
While other players use spin and bend the ball, Juninho perfected a move where he’d hit it as hard as he could without any spin, causing the ball to wobble in the air like a drunken pigeon, leaving keepers dazed and confused.
His knuckleball skills were so good that even top players attempted to copy him, but they couldn’t come close to his level of mastery.
Despite being a small-sized player, Juninho’s free-kicks were powerful enough to shatter windows and make grown men weep.
With Juninho on the field, opposing teams would quiver in fear, knowing one wrong move could lead to a knuckleball rocketing into their goal.
2. Pele (70 free-kick goals)
When it comes to free kicks, Pele was a true master.
He could make that ball bend like a pretzel, and his soccer brain was sharp enough to outsmart even the craftiest of goalies.
Pele scored a whopping 765 career goals (although it is unclear whether these goal stats are also considered in friendly matches and which FIFA does not count to him), so it’s not exactly shocking that he knocked in a few from free kicks.
But with all those free-kick goals under his belt, it’s hard not to see him as just a teensy bit selfish in front of the net.
Pele was a wizard, plain and simple.
He was ruthless in his pursuit of goals, and he had the skills to make it happen.
Whether he was unleashing a thunderbolt of a free kick or just smashing the ball with sheer brute force, Pele just knew how best to put the ball in the back of the net.
3. Victor Legrotaglie (66 free-kick goals)
Coming in hot at number three on our list is the legendary Victor Antonio Legrotaglie, the Argentinian football superstar who could have gone pro with Real Madrid but chose to stay loyal to his home team Gimnasia y Esgrima.
And let me just say that when it comes to free kicks, Legrotaglie is the cream of the crop for Argentinians, with 66 goals to his name – leaving Maradona and Messi in the dust.
Some soccer lovers might say that the competition in Argentina was a bit easier back in Legrotaglie’s day, but 66 goals from free-kicks are nothing to sneeze at.
Despite not being a household name around the world, this Argentine ace is a true gem in the soccer world.
He was known for his 12 Olympic Goals for Argentina as well. There is a stadium named after him in Argentina.
4. Ronaldinho (66 free-kick goals)
When it comes to free kicks, Ronaldinho is in a league of his own, racking up an impressive 66 goals with the kind of variety and quality that would make your jaw drop.
They say that if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.
Well, Ronaldinho must have been having a ball out there on the pitch because you’d never catch him without wearing a smile or tonguing out – and pulling off some pretty wild moves while he was at it.
We can’t talk about Ronaldinho’s free kicks without mentioning his absolute stunner against England in the 2002 World Cup quarter-final. That lob over David Seaman was the stuff of legend.
With insane dribbling skills and a unique blend of flair and technique, Ronaldinho was truly a force to be reckoned with on the pitch. And when it came to free kicks, the guy was a master of both power and precision
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5. David Beckham (65 free-kick goals)
With freekicks, David Beckham was the real deal – so much so that he even inspired his own catchphrase: “Bend it like Beckham.”
Beckham was a free-kick maestro. With pinpoint accuracy and unwavering consistency, he made taking free kicks look like child’s play.
If any free kick was within spitting distance of the penalty area, it was basically guaranteed that Beckham was going to score.
And don’t even get me started on that free-kick that sent England to the 2002 World Cup. That moment is still burned into my brains – and soccer fans’ hearts.
From impossible angles to seemingly insurmountable distances, Beckham’s free-kicks were nothing short of jaw-dropping.
6. Lionel Messi (65 free-kick goals)
Messi has finally settled the age-old debate of who is the G.O.A.T. after winning the World Cup with Argentina. And he continues to leave us in awe every time he sets foot on the pitch.
If there’s a list of the top 20 stats or records in soccer, you can bet your last dollar that Messi’s name will be on it. Unless top own-goals (pun intended)
Initially, he wasn’t much of a free-kick taker. But then he decided to show off some more of his skills and become a sensational free-kick specialist.
Messi’s free-kicks are a work of art – he can curve the ball into any corner of the net and even outsmart the keepers with his creativity. In fact, he’s one of the best at set pieces.
The football genius knows how to strike the ball with the perfect amount of power and spin, creating a swerve or dip that leaves goalkeepers in bewilderment.
And the best part? Messi is still playing, so who knows, he might just top up this list even higher.
7. Cristiano Ronaldo (64 free-kick goals)
If you’re a soccer player and you’ve never tried a Cristiano Ronaldo-style free-kick, have you really played soccer?
Who wouldn’t want to imitate CR7, the SIUUU master?
Ronaldo might spend more time practising his pose and perfecting his pout than actually hitting the back of the net, but when he does connect, those balls stay hit. He’s like a bulldozer on the field.
He’s a powerhouse with a unique style for scoring those dead-ball goals. His long-range free-kicks are like fireworks on the field.
In his last game, he sent in a thunderous free-kick goal in Portugal’s 4-0 victory over Liechtenstein in the European Championship qualifiers, he has now racked up 60 free-kick goals. That’s more than enough to make any goalie fret when next he’s about to take a set piece.
Today August 27, the Portuguese superstar took a different approach during the match against Al Feiha, which paid off handsomely. In the dying moments of the first half, Ronaldo and his teammate Alex Telles lined up over a free kick just outside the opposition’s penalty area.
A moment of brilliance ensued, after which the Al Feiha defence and goalkeeper Abdulraouf Al-Duqayl were left stunned.
It’s only a matter of time before Ronaldo climbs higher up the list of the top players with the most free-kick goals than his current position on the list.
And when he eventually hangs up his boots, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s crowned the undisputed king of free kicks.
8. Diego Maradona (62 free-kick goals)
What can we say about this player that hasn’t already been said? He’s like a unicorn, a rare breed of player who combines magic and skill to produce moments of sheer brilliance on the field.
Maradona’s free-kicks were a work of art, a masterpiece of precision and finesse. He had a way of bending the ball around the wall of defenders that made the goalkeeper look like a mere spectator.
His “Divine Free-Kick” against Juventus is still remembered as one of the most iconic moments in soccer history. It was a moment of pure genius, a snapshot of what made Maradona one of the greatest talents of all time.
From his sheer brute force to agility, strength to free-kick, Maradona had it all.
And even though he’s no longer with us, his legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of soccer fans around the world.
9. Zico (62 free-kick goals)
This Brazilian legend was so precise with his shooting skills that he could kill a mosquito from 40 yards with his incredible free kicks (just kidding).
Zico was a force to be reckoned with in the late 70s and early 80s, and his kicks were so accurate that goalkeepers didn’t stand a chance.
His languid run-up may have been famous, but his real magic happened when he struck the ball with his instep.
With a flick of his wrist (or foot, rather), he could make the ball bend, spin, and rise unpredictably, leaving goalkeepers flailing like a bunch of toddlers in a ball pit.
Soccer players have paid homage to Zico for inspiring their own dead-ball skills, which just goes to show that even the greatest need a little inspiration from time to time.
10. Rogerio Ceni (61 free-kick goals)
Talk about a goalkeeper who’s not afraid to show off his skills on the field. Rogerio Ceni, only in Brazil could a goalie become the top scorer of his team.
With a success rate that impressive, it’s no wonder why he was allowed to take free kicks and penalties.
I mean, who needs a striker when you’ve got Ceni in the box?
If only other goalkeepers had half the skills that Ceni possessed, they too could be scoring goals and basking in the praise of the fans. But then, they’ll just have to stick to stopping goals
During his 25-year career, Ceni scored about 131 goals, with 61 of them coming from free-kicks.
He’s the highest-scoring goalkeeper in the history of the game, and the only thing more impressive than his goal-scoring record is his ability to stop goals.
11. Ronald Koeman (60 free-kick goals)
Ronald Koeman of Netherlands kicks a free-kick, Peter Schmeichel of Denmark during the European Championship Semi-Final match between Denmark and Netherlands at Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden on 22 June 1992 ( Photo by Eric Renard / Onze / Icon Sport )
Ronald Koeman, a defender with a deadlier foot than most forwards, scored an incredible 60 goals from free kicks during his career.
His precise and powerful strikes were the stuff of legends, with one of his most precious moments coming in the final of the UEFA Champions League against Sampdoria in 1992.
The Dutchman’s knack for scoring from free kicks was just one of the many weapons in his arsenal, which also included long-range shots and penalty-taking prowess.
With stints at Ajax, PSV, Feyenoord, and Barcelona, Koeman amassed an impressive 215 career goals, proving that defenders can be just as deadly in front of goal as any striker or midfielder.
If there’s one thing we can learn from Koeman, it’s that you should never underestimate the power of a well-placed free kick.
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12. Marcelinho Carioca (59 free-kick goals)
Marcelinho Carioca, also known as “Pé-de-Anjo = Angel Foot,” was a specialist with a career tally of 59 goals from freekicks.
Despite his off-field antics, which included more drama than a telenovela, he’s earned more trophies with Corinthians than any other player.
Being one of the best in the game at that time, the Brazilian never got a chance to showcase his talents on the world stage, as he failed to make it to any World Cup matches.
With over 500 goals to his name, Marcelinho was a true journeyman, hopping from one club to another like a kangaroo on steroids.
He even finished his career playing beach soccer, but who doesn’t love some sand between their toes?
Footballers With The Most Free-kick Goals In Football History
Player
Nationality
Goals
Juninho Pernambucano
Brazil
77
Pele
Brazil
70
Victor Legrotaglie
Argentina
66
Ronaldinho
Brazil
66
David Beckham
England
65
Lionel Messi
Argentina
65
Cristiano Ronaldo
Portugal
64
Diego Maradona
Argentina
62
Zico
Brazil
62
Rodrigo Ceni
Brazil
61
Ronald Koeman
Netherlands
60
Marcelinho Carioca
Brazil
59
Wrapping it up
Trying to determine the best free-kick taker of all time is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. It’s a daunting task that requires more than just raw statistics.
It’s a tough one to answer, we could crunch the numbers and look at the stats, but even that can be tricky. After all, a goal is a goal, the method, and ways are just different.
While we may never have a definitive answer, we can certainly appreciate the amazing free-kick takers of the past and present.
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