The English Premier League, in its current format, has seen some brilliant set-piece specialists over the years. Some could curl the ball expertly into the top corner, while others were capable of hitting the back of the net with power and precision. Lucas Digne and Granit Xhaka have been the leading free-kick takers this season, scoring twice since the start of the campaign. This section, however, focuses on players who have converted, consistently, from set-piece situations. Here are the top five free-kick takers in Premier League history:
5. Laurent Robert
The eccentric former Newcastle United winger scored 11 goals via free-kicks during his time at St. James Park. He wasn’t the most prolific goalscorer — 22 goals in 129 appearances in the Premier League, but his knack for converting from set-piece situations made him an interesting addition. He also played for Portsmouth for a little while, scoring a single goal in 17 appearances.
4. Cristiano Ronaldo
One of the best players in the history of the sport, Cristiano Ronaldo, scored 84 goals in 196 Premier League appearances for Manchester United, with 11 of those coming from free-kicks. Out of all the players on our list, Cristiano’s technique is most probably the most difficult to replicate. His famous ‘knuckleball’ required a fine blend of finesse and power — something very few players have managed to replicate.
3. Gianfranco Zola
Current Chelsea assistant coach, Gianfranco Zola, used to be a expert set-piece taker back in the day. When we talk about the Italian, we tend to focus on his qualities from open play, but his 12 perfectly-taken free-kicks prove how prolific he was even from dead-ball situations. He went on to make 229 Premier League appearances, scoring 59 goals.
2. Thierry Henry
Like Gianfranco Zola, Thierry Henry, too, is better known for his open-play exploits, but that shouldn’t take anything away from his dead-ball prowess. The winger-turned-striker took a bit of time to settle in at Arsenal but never looked back. He scored 175 goals in 258 Premier League appearances for the North London outfit, with 12 of those coming from free-kicks.
1. David Beckham
This one won’t probably come as a surprise to anyone. David Beckham is widely hailed as one of the best free-kick takers in history, and stats show just how impressive the England international was during his time with Manchester United. The former United no. 7 scored 62 goals in 265 appearances, with 18 of those goals coming from direct, curling free-kicks.