Top 15 Free-Kick Takers in Football History

Whipped, dipped, knuckled or bent around the wall — the dead ball is football's purest test of technique. This lineup spans continents and generations, from the physics-defying specialists to the modern maestros. Who would you trust from 25 yards? Cast your vote!

1. 1
   Juninho Pernambucano

   The Lyon legend widely regarded as the greatest dead-ball striker of all time.
   1000pts
2. 2
   Kevin De Bruyne

   Belgium's playmaker who added a reliable free-kick threat to his creative game.
   952pts
3. 3
   Gareth Bale

   Wales and Real Madrid star with a fierce dipping free-kick technique.
   835pts
4. 4
   Zico

   Brazil's playmaker of the 1980s, one of history's finest dead-ball artists.
   800pts
5. 5
   Hristo Stoichkov

   Bulgaria's fiery forward and Barcelona great with a lethal left-foot set-piece.
   571pts
6. 6
   Roberto Carlos

   Brazil's left-back whose banana free-kick against France defied physics.
   467pts
7. 7
   Cristiano Ronaldo

   Portugal's knuckleball pioneer with dozens of long-range free-kick goals.
   467pts
8. 8
   David Beckham

   England's crossing and free-kick icon famed for his curled set-pieces.
   467pts
9. 9
   Andrea Pirlo

   Italy's serene deep-lying maestro and a master of the knuckleball.
   467pts
10. 10
    Lionel Messi

    Argentina's genius who became one of the most prolific free-kick scorers ever.
    467pts
11. 11
    Rogerio Ceni

    The Sao Paulo goalkeeper who scored over 100 career goals, many from free-kicks.
    467pts
12. 12
    Sinisa Mihajlovic

    The Serbian defender who once scored a hat-trick of free-kicks in a single Serie A game.
    343pts
13. 13
    Ronaldinho

    Brazil's smiling magician who scored famous free-kicks for Barcelona and beyond.
    190pts
14. 14
    Diego Maradona

    Argentina's icon whose left foot could bend the ball into any corner.
    190pts
15. 15
    James Ward-Prowse

    The Southampton midfielder who chased Beckham's Premier League free-kick record.
    190pts