The Masters of Free Kicks – a History of Great Performers

The fate of soccer matches is often decided by the masterful execution of standard positions. One accurate free kick can dramatically change the course of a game. As a result, an inevitable defeat turns into a victory. And if you download the 1xBet app, you will be able to bet on such events, testing your soccer sense. Throughout the history of soccer, there have been many players who had the talent to score such chances.

It is logical to start with Brazilian goalkeeper Rogerio Seni. The presence of the goalkeeper in this list is already interesting in itself. The footballer not only often performed standard positions, but also scored 60 goals during his career. Not all field players have such an achievement. Seni always played in Brazil, but this did not prevent him from becoming famous throughout the world. Rogerio preferred technical, accurate kicks, allowing him to fool his colleagues in the field.

Technique and style of legendary footballers

Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo accurately executed the free kick 61 times. He even developed a distinctive style of execution, which many people are trying to copy today. After setting the ball up, Cristiano takes 5 steps away from it and makes a wide stance. He then takes a deep exhale and delivers a powerful shot from the run-up. This execution allows him to direct the ball along a completely unpredictable trajectory.

Diego Maradona had a completely different technique. His bet was on accuracy and a short run-up. The Argentine tried to send the ball directly under the crossbar, so that the goalkeeper did not have even the slightest chance to reach it.

The following styles of free kicks look no less interesting:

• David Beckham used a smooth run-up and a special arm swing technique;
• Lionel Messi turns his foot 50 degrees to maximize the power of the kick;
• Ronaldinho was famous for his clever under-the-wall kicks;
• Juninho Pernambucano varied his technique depending on the distance;
• Pelé was a master of free kicks with both feet.

The leader in the number of goals scored from free kicks is Brazilian Juninho. He managed to perform 76 accurate kicks. The heyday of his career came to the performance in the “Lyon”. For the French club, the footballer scored 44 goals.

Lionel Messi and David Beckham follow the Brazilian in the ranking. Interestingly, the Argentine moved to the Englishman’s club, where he has every chance to surpass his achievements. The app of the company 1xBet always has a coverage for the games of Beckham’s team.  So far, both players have 65 successful shots each on their account.

Influence on modern soccer

The skill of penalty kicks remains the most important component of soccer. There is a specialist in every professional team who trains this particular aspect. Modern footballers continue to improve the technique of penalty kicks, drawing on the experience of legends of the past and adding their own innovations. The accuracy of execution is largely influenced by the ball. For example, at the World Cup, Jabulani flew on a non-standard trajectory, which increased the efficiency of free kicks.