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

Juninho Pernambucano

The Lyon legend widely regarded as the greatest dead-ball striker of all time.

1000pts

2

Kevin De Bruyne

Belgium's playmaker who added a reliable free-kick threat to his creative game.

952pts

3

Gareth Bale

Wales and Real Madrid star with a fierce dipping free-kick technique.

835pts

4

Zico

Brazil's playmaker of the 1980s, one of history's finest dead-ball artists.

800pts

5

Hristo Stoichkov

Bulgaria's fiery forward and Barcelona great with a lethal left-foot set-piece.

571pts

6

Roberto Carlos

Brazil's left-back whose banana free-kick against France defied physics.

467pts

7

Cristiano Ronaldo

Portugal's knuckleball pioneer with dozens of long-range free-kick goals.

467pts

8

David Beckham

England's crossing and free-kick icon famed for his curled set-pieces.

467pts

9

Andrea Pirlo

Italy's serene deep-lying maestro and a master of the knuckleball.

467pts

10

Lionel Messi

Argentina's genius who became one of the most prolific free-kick scorers ever.

467pts

11

Rogerio Ceni

The Sao Paulo goalkeeper who scored over 100 career goals, many from free-kicks.

467pts

12

Sinisa Mihajlovic

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

343pts

13

Ronaldinho

Brazil's smiling magician who scored famous free-kicks for Barcelona and beyond.

190pts

14

Diego Maradona

Argentina's icon whose left foot could bend the ball into any corner.

190pts

15

James Ward-Prowse

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

190pts