In this article, Sports Buddy looks at the players with the most free-kick goals in history.
Throughout football history, there have been exceptional free-kick takers, yet consistently scoring from set-pieces remains a challenging accomplishment.
Some players have gained fame for their adeptness at striking a dead ball, with clubs sometimes favoring signings based on this specialized skill.
In the present era, it’s difficult to find a free-kick taker superior to James Ward-Prowse, who holds the second-highest number of free-kick goals in Premier League history.
David Beckham, leading the Premier League record with 18 goals, was undoubtedly one of the finest free-kick takers in football history. In recent years, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have also demonstrated their exceptional abilities from long range as they competed against each other.
However, how do they compare to their contemporaries in terms of the most free-kicks scored in football history? Sports Buddy has thoroughly investigated the archives to provide you with the answers.
Most free-kick goals in descending order
Marcelinho Carioca: 59
Starting off the list is former Corinthians star Marcelinho, who scored a total of 59 free-kicks throughout his career.
During his four spells with the Brazilian giants, Marcelinho made 420 appearances and scored 206 goals as a midfielder. While he also had stints at Flamengo, Santos, and Vasco de Gama, Marcelinho’s most notable achievements were in Brazil. However, he did have a brief spell in Europe with Valencia in 1997.
Rogerio Ceni: 59
Undoubtedly, the most remarkable name on the list is goalkeeper Rogerio Ceni. He scored an astonishing 131 goals, including 59 from free-kicks, during his remarkable 22-year tenure with Sao Paulo in Brazil.
Surprisingly, despite his prolific scoring record for his club, Ceni never managed to score for Brazil in his 17 appearances for the national team.
Ronald Koeman: 60
Entering the top 10 is former Barcelona star Ronaldo Koeman. Currently serving as the manager of the Netherlands national team, Koeman showcased his exceptional ability to strike a ball during his playing career, which included spells at Southampton, Everton, and Barcelona.
With a total of 239 career goals to his name, an impressive 60 of these came from free-kicks, accounting for over one quarter of his total goals. One of his most memorable free-kicks occurred in 1992, when Koeman stepped up to secure Barcelona the European Cup, scoring in the 112th minute from outside the box. This pivotal goal marked Barcelona’s first-ever triumph in the European Cup, cementing their place in history as champions of Europe.
Zico: 62
Another Brazilian legend joining the list is Zico, who scored a total of 62 free-kicks during his illustrious career.
Despite being the fifth highest scorer in Brazil’s history with 48 goals for his country, a significant portion of these goals were from free-kicks.
Diego Maradona: 62
Tied with Zico is Diego Maradona, widely regarded as one of the greatest players in football history. Maradona’s exceptional skill with the ball meant it was no surprise to see him included on this list, having scored 62 free-kick goals throughout his career.
Cristiano Ronaldo: 63
As one of the few current players to make the list, it’s expected that Cristiano Ronaldo would be included. His knuckle-ball technique has been an inspiration to many, including Mason Mount, who tried to emulate CR7’s form in a viral video when he was younger.
Ronaldo’s most renowned free-kick was against Portsmouth during his first spell at Manchester United, but he has since scored numerous others. In total, he has amassed an impressive tally of 63 free-kick goals.
Lionel Messi: 65
Naturally, Messi joins Ronaldo on the list of the most free-kick goals in history with 65 goals, according to Jobs in Football. The two are often compared, with fans debating who is the superior player.
However, in this aspect, Messi currently has the edge, having scored two more free-kicks than Ronaldo. With 50 free-kick goals for Barcelona, Messi has also found the net from set-pieces for Argentina, PSG, and most recently, Inter Miami.
David Beckham: 65
David Beckham has scored the same number of free-kicks as Lionel Messi and holds the record for the most free-kick goals in Premier League history. James Ward-Prowse, although not mentioned in this particular list, is closing in on Beckham’s record.
Fortunately for Beckham, he has some breathing space on this list as he sits in joint fifth place. One of his most memorable free-kicks was against Greece in 2001, as his team needed a draw to qualify for the 2002 World Cup. Beckham makes the list with 65 goals.
Ronaldinho: 66
Joining the list is Ronaldinho, known for his famous international free-kick during the 2002 World Cup, which England fans remember vividly, albeit for different reasons than Beckham’s iconic goal.
Ronaldinho’s strike caught David Seaman off guard and sparked debate over whether he intended it.Ronaldinho takes the fourth spot on the list of most free-kick goals in history, with a total of 66 goals from free-kicks.
Victor Legrottaglie: 66
You might not be familiar with the name Victor Legrottaglie, as he spent his entire career in Argentina. Despite not being as widely recognized as Ronaldinho, he shares the same number of free-kick goals as the Brazilian legend. Interestingly, Real Madrid reportedly showed interest in him, suggesting he could have been a rival to Ronaldinho.
However, Legrottaglie was content with his career in Argentina and had no desire to leave. Remarkably, despite never receiving an international call-up, he managed to score 66 free-kicks throughout his club career.
Pele: 70
Undoubtedly one of the greatest players in football history, Pele’s prowess extended to free-kicks as well. Although he only played for Santos and New York Cosmos during his club career, Pele cemented his status as Brazil’s greatest ever player.
Scoring a remarkable 77 goals in 92 matches, Pele found the net from free-kicks on numerous occasions. With this impressive record, he rightfully earns a place on the list for the most free-kick goals in history.
Juninho Pernambucano: 77
Juninho is widely regarded as the best free-kick taker of all time, and the statistics support this claim, despite his own modesty on the matter.
It’s nice to hear admiration, although I don’t really believe it – how can you measure that?’ he said, as quoted by FourFourTwo. ‘What I feel is that my work was worth it. I gave everything I had – sometimes even more than my body could take.
‘There’s only ever the best free-kick-taker of the moment, so maybe there was a moment in which I was the best at it, but that’s all. How can I claim that I’m any better than David Beckham or Sinisa Mihajlovic?’
Mihajlovic had an impressive Serie A career, scoring a total of 38 goals, with an incredible 28 of them coming from free-kicks. Notably, he even achieved the rare feat of scoring a hat-trick of free-kicks in a single match.
However, it’s Juninho who holds the record for the most free-kick goals in football history. If you haven’t delved into the YouTube highlights of his incredible skills yet, I highly recommend you do so. You won’t be disappointed.
