In conclusion, long-range shots have drastically decreased in recent seasons.
The only player in the Premier League today with over 25 goals from outside the box is that man.
One prolific midfielder outscored players like David Beckham, Wayne Rooney, and Steven Gerrard from close range.
Football, like everything else, is always changing. Some of these modifications have helped to standardise the lovely game, while others are appreciated. Long-range shots are becoming less common, instinctive dribbling is disappearing, and the number 10 is going extinct.
In fact, during the past ten years, the number of long-range shots in the Premier League has decreased by 10%. In the 2014–15 season, nearly half (43%) of the division’s efforts came from unconventional sources. Last season, that number fell to 33.1%. A sense of nostalgia for Barclays’ heyday is being fuelled by this damning statistic.
Over the course of these illustrious decades, it must be acknowledged that numerous genre experts have exposed the weaknesses of their rivals. Only one current player in the league made the list of the Premier League’s all-time highest scorers from outside the box.
10 Harry Kane Long-term objectives: 25
Harry Kane is still a king without a crown in the kingdom of football. The former Tottenham Hotspur center-forward, who will always be regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the game, is a true legend of the English game despite finishing second in the Premier League scoring charts despite never winning the championship.
Kane’s 213 English Premier League goals, including some of his most memorable ones, form the foundation of his reputation. Among Walthamstow’s best are his goals against Arsenal and Chelsea in the 2014–15 campaign and his opulent goal against Crystal Palace in 2021.
9Matt Le Tissier
Long-range goals: 28
Matt Le Tissier’s outrageous venture against Wimbledon in the 1993–94 season is unavoidably recalled when considering shots from outside the box in the Premier League. It proved that the Saints legend could score from any angle and in any manner, and it is now remembered as one of the best goals ever scored in the English top division.
As ‘Le God’ was known when he was playing, he became the first midfield player in the history of the competition to score 100 goals. Over the course of his remarkable career, which comprised 481 Southampton games, he scored a total of 182 goals.
8 Wayne Rooney Long-term objectives: 29
Without a doubt, one of the most well-known players to have played in the Premier League is Wayne Rooney. The Liverpool native, who scored 253 goals in 559 games, was more than just a center-forward and was the greatest goal scorer in Manchester United’s history.
One of the players that helped the league establish its reputation was the man who held the record for the most goals scored with the Three Lions from 2015 to 2023. He was technically skilled, swift, had a steely mentality, and could score from almost any position. A 2022 appointment to the Premier League Hall of Fame acknowledged a brilliant career that was both justified and well-deserved.
7 Thierry Henry Long-term objectives: 29
If Thierry Henry hadn’t been on this list, it would have been shocking. Among the best strikers to ever set foot on a Premier League football surface is Arsenal’s greatest player of all time.
The four-time Golden Boot winner has scored some of the most memorable goals in Premier League history thanks to his extraordinary speed and unmatched goal-scoring ability. The score of 29 of these came from outside the box. His thunderous shots are undoubtedly still giving some Manchester United supporters nightmares to this day. Henry continues to maintain that he “wasn’t born with a gift for goal” in spite of his illustrious career.
6 Kevin De Bruyne Long-term objectives: 30
Kevin De Bruyne is arguably the only player in the world now who has both the vision for the game and the ability to implement it. Since joining Manchester City in the summer of 2015, the Belgian, who is regarded as one of the greatest midfielders in Premier League history, has been dazzling the pitch with his skills.
De Bruyne’s proficiency in shooting is arguably one of the most significant of all the abilities that comprise his admired repertoire. It is among the factors that make the former Wolfsburg player so dangerous to his rivals. The productive midfielder has no fear of anything, whether it comes from close or far away, right or left. Furthermore, he isn’t scared to aim when given the opportunity.
5 Alan Shearer Long-term objectives: 33
Alan Shearer, who holds the record for the most Premier League goals (260) and is the fifth-highest scorer in the English top division (283) overall, has rightfully earned a spot in our table. Long-range goals were nothing new to the renowned Newcastle United striker, who currently holds multiple competition records and who won the 1995 Premier League title while playing for Blackburn Rovers.
Not surprisingly, he recently declared that his infamous volley against Everton in December 2002—a shot that left Richard Wright looking gaunt—was unquestionably the best goal of his career. A tasteful man.
4 Long-term objectives for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink: 33
Particularly for the younger generation, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink isn’t the most well-known name on our list, but he is deserving of his spot on par with his legendary peers. The Dutchman, who scored 127 goals in the English league while playing for Leeds United, Chelsea, Middlesbrough, and Charlton Athletic, had a hitting ability that was almost cruel.
Thirty-three of them were unconventional. That’s nearly 26 percent. An almost ridiculous figure, particularly for a conventional center-forward. Perhaps one of the greatest strikers to ever step foot on the Stamford Bridge pitch, Hasselbaink is right-footed but skilled with his left side and a superb free-kick taker. An intuitive player with a good sense of direction.
3 Steven Gerrard Long-term objectives: 33
Steven Gerrard is regarded as one of the most significant individuals in Liverpool’s history for a variety of reasons. For 17 years, the relentless Reds midfielder was the hero due to his loyalty, leadership, and deadly finishing.
From the most romantic tales to the most challenging (no one forgets his error that let Demba Ba score a goal that destroyed Liverpool’s 2014 title hopes), Gerrard experienced it everything with the Merseyside club and has always received unwavering support. The proud Scouser has consistently demonstrated both his footballing and human traits, regardless of whether he is wearing the numbers 28, 17, or 8.
2 David Beckham Long-term objectives: 34
Throughout his remarkable career, David Beckham scored an astounding 65 goals from free kicks, including a Premier League record of 18. He should be able to get on the leaderboard with it. The Red Devils’ iconic number seven was a powerful asset from set pieces and had above-average accuracy.
But in open play, he could also unleash incredibly powerful shots, which gave his opponents even more of a threat. His famous strike from the halfway line against Wimbledon on the first day of the 1996–97 season and his strong free-kick against West Ham United in April 2000 are two of his career’s high points.
1Frank Lampard
Long-range goals: 41
16. That is the amount of goals that divide Frank Lampard, who is ranked first, and Kane, who is ranked tenth. With 648 appearances and 211 goals for the Blues, the man was a true Chelsea classic and the most prolific midfielder in Premier League history. He was an absolute expert at scoring goals from outside the box.
In fact, he scored forty-one of them. Among his numerous victims were Crystal Palace, Tottenham, Liverpool, and Arsenal. And that’s only the start. When he was moved from West Ham United in 2001, it cost £11 million, which his performances and remarkable consistency fully justified.
The Premier League’s Greatest Long-Range Goal scorers
Rank
The player
Long-Term Objectives
Total Objectives
The proportion of long-term objectives
1.
Lampard, Frank
41
177
23.1%
2.
Beckham, David
34
62
54.8%
3.
Gerrard, Steven
33
121
27.2%
4.
Floyd Hasselbaink, Jimmy
33
127
25.9%
5.
Shearer, Alan
33
260
12.6%
6.
De Bruyne, Kevin
30
71
42.2%
7.
Henry Thierry
29
175
16.5%
8.
Rooney, Wayne
29
208
13.9%
9.
Le Tissier, Matt
28
101
27.7%
10.
Kane, Harry
25
213
11.7%
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