Free-kicks have always produced some of the most exhilarating moments in football. Whether it is bending the ball around a wall or striking the ball from a distance of 30 yards, these set pieces depend on technique, accuracy, and bravery. Many players can score while in open play, but very few players are able to consistently score from free-kicks.
Table of Contents
- Top 10 players with the most free-kick goals in football history.
- 1. Juninho Pernambucano – 77 Goals
- 2. Pele – 70 Goals
- 3. Lionel Messi – 69 Goals
- 4. Víctor Legrotaglie – 66 Goals
- 5. Ronaldinho – 66 Goals
- 6. David Beckham – 65 Goals
- 7. Cristiano Ronaldo – 64 Goals
- 8. Diego Maradona – 62 Goals
- 9. Zico – 62 Goals
- 10. Ronald Koeman – 60 Goals
Top 10 players with the most free-kick goals in football history.
1. Juninho Pernambucano – 77 Goals
Juninho is often considered the best free-kick taker the sport has ever known. He made the knuckle-ball shot famous, hitting the ball with an unpredictable swerve and dip that left goalkeepers without hope. Playing mostly at Lyon, he scored from set-pieces 77 times in his career, setting himself above all others in the pantheon of free-kicks.
2. Pele – 70 Goals
The “King of Football” was never just a dribbler and finisher; he also took free-kicks. Pelé scored 70 goals directly from set-pieces, hitting the ball with both power and finesse. His ability to read where goalkeeper would dive, chances to bend the ball in either direction, and the phenomenal ability to deceive a wall made him nearly impossible to stop. As he scored more than 1,200 goals in his career, this statistic serves as an example of his versatility.
3. Lionel Messi – 69 Goals
For years, Messi’s critics would argue that he didn’t have a great free-kick ability. However since 2014, the genius from Argentina has improved greatly, and now, he may be considered a very fine free-kick taker. He has scored 69 free-kick goals (58 with clubs, 11 with Argentina) and has become a master of dead-balls. He scores roughly one free-kick goal every 16 matches, showing he is consistent and adept at free-kicks.
4. Víctor Legrotaglie – 66 Goals
Legrotaglie is a legendary name in Mendoza football that not many know for the modern audience. He was a player who played in the 1960s and 70s. The Argentine scored 66 free-kick goals, but he was also well-known for his “Olympic goals,” scored directly from corner-kicks. There is even a stadium in Argentina named after Legrotaglie now.
5. Ronaldinho – 66 Goals
The Brazilian wizard dazzled the world of football with his creativity, flair, and unpredictability. Ronaldinho could score from almost any angle and his 66 free-kick goals are testimony to
his technique and vision. Whether he curled one into the top corner of the net or tricked the wall with a quick strike, he always produced magic from any deadball situation.
6. David Beckham – 65 Goals
“Bend it like Beckham” is,not just a phrase, but a reality in football. The Englishman was known for having scored sensational free-kicks for their swirl and precision. Beckham scored from deadball situations on 65 occasions, with the most famous one being the last-minute equaliser against Greece in 2001 to send England to the 2002 World Cup.
7. Cristiano Ronaldo – 64 Goals
Cristiano Ronaldo has been a free-kick threat from the very early stages of his career. Known for his uncle ball strike, he has scored 64 free-kick goals in his professional career, 53 at the club level and 11 while playing for Portugal. Even at 39 years old, he still finds a way to add to his tally, having retired but recently scoring while playing in the Saudi Pro League. He has now begun a new season by scoring an at least one free-kick for each season since 2003.
8. Diego Maradona – 62 Goals
The Argentine legend and widely regarded one of the greatest players of all time, was also known for his free-kicks. Maradona scored almost 20% of his goals from set pieces, including the famous “Divine Free-Kick” while playing with Napoli against Juventus. With 62 goals, Maradona showed that he was truly a genius and could do much more than just dribble and create opportunities for his teammates.
9. Zico – 62 Goals
Known as the “White Pelé,” Zico was a Brazilian great in the late 1970s and 1980s. Zico was known for his precision and ball-striking ability for free kicks; and like both the players mentioned above, Zico scored 62 free-kick goals from dead ball situations. He had a particular unique haunting run-up and technique, making him feared in an era when free-kick specialists dominated the game related to dead ball opportunities.
10. Ronald Koeman – 60 Goals
Koeman is regarded as one of the all-time highest-scoring defenders in the history of football, with 215 career goals, 60 of which were from free-kicks. Koeman had a thunderous shot and a true ability to place the ball accurately. When Koeman played for Ajax and Barcelona and for the Dutch national team, he showed us that defenders can be just as deadly as attackers when it comes to set pieces.
