excellent player equaliser.
AI cover luminaries like Beckham, Zidane, and Juninho are among the top 20 free-kick takers of all time, demonstrating their skill and diversity.
Grok’s approach highlighted players with impact, memorable moments, and technical skill from a variety of sources using the data that was available.
The fact that goals and entire games can be turned around in a variety of ways is possibly the best thing about football. The beautiful game gives players several chances to demonstrate their skill with a left or right boot, from thunderous volleys and acrobatic overhead kicks to long-range curlers into the top bins.
However, few situations can compare to the poetry and drama of the free-kick, which is football’s equivalent of a painter’s brushstroke. With legends like Andrea Pirlo, Cristiano Ronaldo, and David Beckham transforming dead balls into pure drama, this hallowed set piece has generated some of the sport’s most famous motion pictures.
A well-placed knuckleball or whipped effort can defy logic and get past the best goalkeeper’s gloves, even when keepers are reading the script. The best of all? To master it, you don’t have to win a Ballon d’Or. The free kick is the ultimate equaliser, and that’s the magic. So, who are the all-time top 20? We requested feedback from Twitter’s AI, Grok, and the findings are in.
The Methodology of AI
The list that follows was put together using information from a variety of sources, including Bleacher Report, Sports Illustrated, FourFourTwo, and others, and includes goal totals, conversion rates, and the effect of their free kicks. Although I acknowledge that earlier players’ stats (like Pelé’s) may not be as accurate due to uneven record-keeping, I have given preference to players with a history of free-kick goals, memorable situations, and technical proficiency.
“Active players like Lionel Messi are still climbing the ranks, and some cult heroes may edge out bigger names due to their set-piece specialisation.”
20James Ward-Prowse
England
“A modern specialist, one goal short of Beckham’s Premier League record,” Grok stated. His accuracy and speed are unparalleled in the modern era.
James Ward-Prowse’s ranking of no higher than 20th is the first surprise AI has given us. His 17 Premier League free-kick goals demonstrate that he is as dependable as they come from outside the box, and he is unquestionably among the top three dead-ball specialists in the current game. In the Premier League, the former Southampton player is still only one goal shy of David Beckham’s record.
19Shunsuke Nakamura
Japan’
“Japan’s set-piece artist,” Grok stated. His free-kick against Manchester United at Celtic Park is renowned for its placement and curve.
None are more famous than Shunsuke Nakamura’s goal against Manchester United, even though his 63 goals in his career led to YouTube videos being made in his honour that went over ten minutes long in order to capture every moment he lifted the ball over the wall and out of the goalkeeper’s reach.
The Hoops qualified for the Champions League knockout stages for the first time since its rebranding in 1992 thanks to his magic left-footed curler in the 81st minute, which eluded Edwin van der Sar and was the difference in a 1-0 victory.
In brief
Compared to earlier decades, modern football does not now boast a wide variety of elite free-kick takers.
James Ward-Prowse and Lionel Messi are two of the game’s top set-piece experts.
Neymar, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Hakan Calhanoglu are all excellent free-kickers, and Cole Palmer has just demonstrated that he is deserving of being included among them.
Compared to previous generations, modern football offers several advantages. One thing, though, is currently missing from the game: a wide variety of elite free-kick takers.
The days of goalkeepers getting shivers just thinking about legendary players like David Beckham, Ronaldinho, and Roberto Carlos taking aim at their goal are long gone. Generally speaking, these dead-ball specialists are no longer in use.
When given the chance to score from a distance in 2024, there are still some deadly players participating in the beautiful game. The following list of the top free-kick takers in world football at the moment includes players like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Football’s Top 20 Free-Kick Takers [Ranked]
Rank
The player
Club
The country
One
Lionel Messi
Miami Inter
Argentina
2.
Calhanoglu Hakan
Milan Inter
Turkey
3.
James Ward-Prowse
Forest of Nottingham
England
4.
Arnold, Trent Alexander
Liverpool
England
5.
Neymar
Al-Hilal
Brazil
6.
Foden, Phil
City of Manchester
England
7.
Lewandowski, Robert
Barcelona
Poland
8.
Madison, James
Tottenham
England
9.
Fernandes Bruno
United Manchester
Portugal
10.
Dani Parejo
Villarreal
Spain
11.
Grifo, Vincenzo
Freiburg SC
Italy
Twelve
Zelarayan Lucas
Al-Fateh
Armenia
13.
Eriksen, Christian
United Manchester
Denmark
14
Ronaldo Cristiano
Al-Nassr
Portugal
15.
Raphinha
Barcelona
Brazil
16
Angel Di Maria
Benfica
Argentina
17
De Bruyne, Kevin
City of Manchester
Belgium
18
The Hulk
Mineiro Atletico
Brazil
19.
Dybala Paulo
AS Roma
Argentina
20
Palmer, Cole
Chelsea
England
20th–11th It seems like Ronaldo’s strength is ebbing.
Despite being skilled set-piece takers, Paulo Dybala, Cole Palmer, and Kevin De Bruyne are not included in the top 15 since they haven’t demonstrated their free-kick skills recently. Many fans are familiar with Hulk, primarily because of his hammer-of-a-left-peg. At one point, the Brazilian hit a shot so hard it almost broke the post. Although he has found the net numerous times throughout his journeyman career, he regrettably failed to do so on that particular occasion.
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star has perhaps lost his touch, despite having the seventh-most free-kick goals in football history (64). Fans will never forget his incredible performances against Portsmouth and Arsenal while wearing a United shirt, but it is impossible to overlook the 40-year-old’s recent try and failure to convert from set pieces.
Given that they have two of the most exquisite left feet in the game right now, Angel Di Maria and Raphinha are a little different from the Portuguese ace. Chelsea star Cole Palmer’s spectacular free-kick against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League demonstrated that there is something enchanted about watching a player make a lovely connection with the ball with their left peg. See the exquisitely performed goal below:
In his prime, Christian Eriksen would have been near the top of the hierarchy, but his diminished involvement in Manchester United’s squad has caused him to drop in status. He still poses a threat when he is standing over a dead ball. Although the Armenian genius scrapes ahead of Ronaldo, Lucas Zelarayan will be among the lesser-known names on the list.
The 32-year-old played most of his career in Major League Soccer (MLS), where he threw the custodian a stunning 56-yard shot to break the record for the longest-range free-kick goal in history. Grifo, on the other hand, is a cunning winger who finds the net by placing himself precisely.
10th–6th Two England players are featured.
James Maddison (8th) and Phil Foden (6th) both break into the top 10, demonstrating that England has some of the world’s top free-kick takers. On his route to winning Player of the Season, the latter became the only player in the 2023–24 Premier League season to score two direct free kicks.
Robert Lewandowski finished seventh in these standings, almost missing out on the top five. The Polish center-forward scored five free kicks for Bayern Munich, showcasing his set-piece skills. His most recent goal from a free kick was during Barcelona’s 4-2 victory over Valencia. The second-highest scorer in Bundesliga history continues to possess amazing technical skill despite his advanced age.
Bruno Fernandes, the captain of Manchester United, has a spot as well. Even while the Portuguese star isn’t always reliable in deadball situations, he frequently goes on hot streaks during which you can bet on him to score if he has a well in front of him from about 20 yards away.
For SC Freiburg and Villarreal, respectively, Vicenzo Grifo and Dani Parejo have proven to be dependable and consistent choices in dead-ball situations. Parejo can hit a ball true when needed, but he is best at managing a game from the middle of the pitch.
Fifth to First
Messi remains the industry leader.
The greatest footballer of all time, Lionel Messi, is in the latter stages of his lengthy and illustrious career, yet he still has a left foot. In the last seconds of his Inter Miami debut, the 37-year-old had a memorable free kick. He has such a strong bond with a football that he might as well pick it up and put it wherever he pleases since that’s where it ends up.
The Turkish legend was once one of the most dependable free-kick takers in international football, even if it has been a few years since Inter Milan’s Hakan Calhanoglu scored from long range. His ‘knuckle-ball’ style of hitting the ball was a nightmare for rival goalkeepers. With Messi at the top, it is no shame that he only narrowly lost out on the top slot.
David Beckham is the greatest Premier League scorer ever, with James Ward-Prowse behind him by just one goal from free kicks. Goalkeepers still dread facing the former Southampton player, but the Nottingham Forest midfielder (on loan from West Ham) has had to be patient to add to his 17 goals in the English top flight.
Neymar and Trent Alexander-Arnold are possibly the two most technically proficient athletes in the world. Because both players can find any corner of the net, they round out the top five. At the time of writing, the Liverpool player holds the record for the most assists by a defender in Premier League history.
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