Messi, Ronaldo, Pele: Who has scored the most free kicks in football history?
Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Pele and Diego Maradona all feature in list of the players with the most free kick goals in football history.
Lionel Messi rescued Paris Saint-Germain with a terrific last-minute free-kick against Lille on Sunday afternoon.
PSG’s winless streak looked as if it would extend to four games with the score locked at 3-3 deep into stoppage-time.
But Messi ensured they would break that unwanted run with a piece of brilliance.
The Argentine won a free-kick for his side roughly 25 yards out.
Messi stepped up and he curled a brilliant effort into the back of the net via the post.
It was Messi’s 62nd free-kick goal of his career. But how does that tally compare to the best free-kick takers in football history?
We have updated their list following Messi’s brilliance at the Parc des Princes last weekend.
The 12 players with the most free-kick goals in football history
- Cristiano Ronaldo – 58 (per Goal)
Ronaldo is one of just two active players on the list.
He may well have broken into the top 10 by the time he hangs up his boots.
=10. Rogerio Ceni – 59
Ceni was a goalkeeper. We repeat: Ceni was a goalkeeper! Absolutely extraordinary.
=10. Marcelinho Carica – 59
Marcelinho spent most of his career in Brazil, He turned out for the likes of Flamengo, Corinthians, Santos and Vasco de Gama.
- Ronald Koeman – 60
Koeman’s tally is extremely impressive given he was largely a defensive-minded player. He scored 239 career goals, meaning just over a quarter were from free kicks. - Lionel Messi – 61
Messi is up to eighth. You wouldn’t bet against him breaking into the top three, but getting to first will be a tough ask.
=6. Zico – 62
Zico enjoyed an outstanding career. He is the fifth top goal scorer in Brazil’s history, having hit the back of the net 48 times for his country.
=6. Diego Maradona – 62
Maradona could do almost everything with a football. He was a free-kick specialist among many other things.
- David Beckham – 65
Beckham is the most prolific free-kick taker from Europe in football history.
=3. Ronaldinho – 66
Arguably Ronaldinho’s most famous free-kick came for Brazil against England at the 2002 World Cup. Ronaldinho caught David Seaman – as well as everyone watching at home – in surprise when he had a go from an acute angle. His effort looped over Seaman and into the top corner.
=3. Victor Legrottaglie – 66
Legrottaglie spent his whole career in Argentina. He never represented his country.
- Pele – 70
Pele’s goal tally from free kicks is yet another reminder of just how good he was. - Juninho Pernambucano – 77
Juninho is the free-kick GOAT (greatest of all-time), and that will remain the case for a long while yet.
Messi is a magician from set-pieces but he was no where near as good as Juninho.
