da dobrowin： Leighton Baines turns 32 today. The Everton ace has been a Premier League cult hero for a while now, with the Merseyside-born defender known for his fierce free-kicks and deadly accuracy from the penalty spot.
da 888casino： In modern football, it seems everyone is obsessed with free-flowing attacks and playing the game the ‘proper way’. However, it has to be remembered that when matches are tight a well-taken set-piece can chance the whole landscape of a fixture.
From a driven shot at goal to a curling ball into the area, free-kicks are an outlet fans all love, with the supreme skill of these pieces of individual brilliance eye-catching to say the least.
In honour of Baines’ big three-two, we have had a look back at some of the best free-kick takers in the history of the beautiful game to come up with this fearsome XI.
So sit back, take a look and let us know any you think we’ve missed.
Enjoy!
Goalkeeper
There can only be one choice in goal. Rogerio Ceni of Sao Paolo scored a whopping 131 goals for the Brazilian outfit during his two-and-a-half decade tenure at the club.
His ability in front of goal, however, should not distract from the fact Ceni was also an excellent ‘keeper, as he was twice named Brazil’s ‘Player of the Year’ and once ‘Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year’.
Defence
Of course, at left-back we have the man himself, Leighton Baines. While yet to add to his free-kick archive this season, he has provided plenty to admire over the years, including two in one game against Bolton Wanderers back in the 2006/07 season.
A centre-half that can score goals is what every manager craves and these two certainly could that. First up, former Chelsea man and Brazil international Alex. This man had a foot like a traction engine, demonstrated best by his thumpin35-yardrd effort against Arsenal that almost broke the net. His partner is now Everton manager Ronald Koeman. The Dutchman had it all, including a rocket right foot which helped him score a huge 239 career goal, making him the highest scoring defender of all time.
While not a left-back, the other flank is possibly the easiest decision I’ve ever made – Roberto Carlos. THAT free-kick vs. France was possibly the greatest ever taken.
Midfield
Let us start on the right this time with David Beckham, England’s dead ball specialist whose pinpoint passing, delivery and of course direct free-kicks earned him a reputation as one of the world’s finest during his heyday and will forever be an England legend thanks to his stunner – the goal that shook the world – that secured his country’s World Cup qualification back in 2002.
In the middle, we have another three experts of the dead ball, Brazilians Zico, Ronaldinho and of course Juninho Pernambucano. The first set the example for the latter two with his fine curling efforts during the 1970s and early 1980s. The second, added a touch of inventiveness to the technique so wonderfully shown by his older countryman, which often left ‘keepers questioning just where the ball would end up, none more so than David Seaman.
The latter – arguably the greatest of all time – was the pioneer for the modern technique of striking the ball when still. Juninho’s ‘knuckleball’ style has since been adopted by the likes of Didier Drogba, Ronaldo and David Luiz to great success, but none could do it quite like the former Lyon man himself.
Finally, on the left-hand side comes Sinisa Mihajlovic. Naturally a defender, but for the purpose of this we have moved him a little further up the pitch. 28 Serie A free-kicks is the Serbian’s total during his 14-year spell in Italy, including three in one match, a feat that has never been matched anywhere in European Football since.
Striker
Up top we have former Italy and Milan legend Roberto Baggio, whose free-kicks even had their own popular internet game made in their honour, known as ‘Roberto Baggio’s Magical Kicks’. Not the name I would have gone for admittedly, but nevertheless.
A master of curling the ball, the striker, who scored a whopping 291 career goals, is the fourth highest free-kick scorer of all time in Serie A, having notched an impressive 21 times.
Formation…
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