The Most Free-Kick Goals in Football History?

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are on the topmost lists for football records. Ronaldo is the greatest striker in football of all time. Messi has provided the most assists in football history and won the most Ballon d’Or awards. Together, they have won thirteen Golden Ball awards. Messi has won the most trophies. 

The Argentinian is the greatest football player in history. Both players are two of the best dead-ball specialists. However, Ronaldo is more accurate than Messi from the penalty spot. SportsBoom delved into the record books to see who scored the most free-kick goals in football history. 

Lyon v Rangers - UEFA Champions League//Getty Images

Who Scored the Most Free-Kick Goals in Football History?

The list of players with the most free-kick goals in football history is a who’s who of great dead-ball specialists. Juninho Pernambucano tops the free-kick charts. Surprisingly, Messi and Ronaldo are not on top of the charts. Free-kicks are not an easy skill to perfect, and not all dead-ball specialists are good at the three art-forms of corners, penalties, and free-kicks. 

Seventeen goals separate first-placed Juninho and tenth-placed Ronald Koeman. Only Messi and Ronaldo can potentially finish top because they are still active. However, it is unlikely that Messi and Ronaldo will get close to beating Juninho’s record. Four Brazilians and three Argentinians make up the list. One player from Portugal, England and the Netherlands make up the ten highest free-kick-scoring players in football history. 

1. Juninho Pernambucano | Free-Kick Goals: 77

Juninho Pernambucano is regarded as the best free-kick goal scorer in football history. He scored 77 free-kicks, including 44 out of 100, while at Lyon. He is credited with pioneering the “knuckleball” technique and was renowned for his long-range scoring ability. Ronaldo began using Juninho’s style of free-kick at Manchester United. David Luiz and Didier Drogba both used this technique while at Chelsea. 

Juninho Pernambucano//Getty Images

2. Pelé | Free-Kick Goals: 70

Pelé is on every goal-scoring list. The Brazilian is the only player to win three FIFA World Cups. He is still the youngest player to win the World Cup. However, the reputation of record-keeping during his playing days leaves an asterisk on his many feats. Pelé did not play in Europe, but his greatness is no less diminished, he is still regarded by many as the greatest football player. Still, he is acknowledged as the second-highest scorer of free-kicks in football history.

Pele//Getty Images

3. Ronaldinho | Free-Kick Goals: 66

No player played with a smile on their face like Ronaldinho. The Brazilian encompassed everything you’d expect with “o jogo bonito” and Samba-style football. Ronaldinho was at the height of his powers at Barcelona, where he took Messi under his wing. Unfortunately, then-manager Pep Guardiola did not tolerate his party lifestyle, and his injuries began to mount.

Guardiola felt he was a bad influence on a young Lionel Messi, so he shipped him out of the Catalan club. Ronaldinho’s most famous free-kick came during the 2002 FIFA World Cup quarter-final against England, where he lobbed goalkeeper David Seaman from 40 yards. Brazil went on to win the World Cup, and an icon was born. 

Ronaldinho//Getty Images

4. Víctor Legrotaglie | Free-Kick Goals: 66

Víctor Legrotaglie is tied third with Ronaldinho, but like Pelé and other players of yesteryear on this list, his free-kick scoring statistics are questionable due to inaccurate and unverified data. However, he is revered in Argentina. His 66 free-kick goals have him ahead of Diego Maradona and Messi. Legrottaglie also has a record of 12 Olympic goals for Argentina. It is a record that might not be broken.

5. David Beckham | Free-Kick Goals: 65

The mention of David Beckham conjures memories of his incredible 93rd-minute curling free-kick against Greece that saw England qualify for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. At one time, he was the most famous football player, hanging with royalty and A-list celebrities. 
His marriage to Posh Spice catapulted him into a cultural phenomenon, which lasts to this day. Beckham’s free-kicks are legendary. His free-kicks were so good, that a movie – Bend it Like Beckham   – was made about them. “Bend it like Beckham” entered the contemporary lexicon anytime someone kicked a ball. 

David Beckham//Getty

6. Cristiano Ronaldo | Free-Kick Goals: 65

Cristiano Ronaldo  – or CR7 for image purposes – is one of the best players of his generation. He holds numerous Spanish, European, and world records for goal scoring. Ronaldo’s iconic Pernambucano-style free-kicks are all over YouTube. 

His knuckleball free-kick goal against Portsmouth in 2008 is magnificent. The former ‘Galactico’ scored dozens of astounding free-kicks at Real Madrid, but he perfected the art at Manchester United. The Portuguese will climb higher on this list, but Father Time waits for no man. 

Cristiano Ronaldo//Getty Images

7. Lionel Messi | Free-Kick Goals: 64

There are many reasons Messi is better than Ronaldo. However, he is one free-kick goal behind his old adversary. Ronaldo has gone off the boil in recent seasons, and Messi caught up. Maradona was the original Argentina football God, but Messi has surpassed his fellow countryman as the best football player Argentina has produced. The Argentina captain recently passed Maradona’s free-kick goals tally to go seventh all-time.

Messi’s most celebrated free-kick goal came against Liverpool in the first leg of 2019 UEFA Champions League quarter-final at the Camp Nou. Messi curled a stunning free-kick around the wall and post into the top corner of Alisson Becker’s net. 

The Inter Miami star has scored many wonder goals, but that free-kick is rated his best. Unfortunately, it was not enough to see Barcelona through to the final. The Catalan club lost 4-0 at Anfield to crash out of the competition. Messi promised the club’s fans before the season began that the Blaugrana would win the tournament, but the Reds had other ideas. 

Lionel Messi//Gety Images

8. Diego Maradona | Free-Kick Goals: 62

Maradona scored many fabulous goals. His most notorious strike is the infamous “Hand of God” goal against England in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. Minutes later, he scored the “goal of the century” to knock the English out. Argentina won the tournament. Maradona is the most versatile dead-ball specialist on this list. He scored from close- and long-range. He could bend the ball like Beckham and blast the ball through the wall. 

Diego Maradona//Getty

9. Zico | Free-Kick Goals: 62

Zico is another in a long line of Brazilian dead-ball specialists. He is considered one of the best passers of his generation. Despite being a midfielder, he was a clinical finisher. He scored 48 goals in 71 matches for Brazil. Pelé believed Zico to be the only player to come close to him as a footballer, which is some praise. 

Zico//Getty Images