The Premier League has witnessed some of the greatest free-kick goals in the history of world football, but who scored them?
FootballFanCast has ranked the top 10 best Premier League free-kicks in the competition's history. For this list, we've ranked these free-kicks in order of their quality – the more audacious, the better.
Rank
Goalscorer
For
Against
Year
Dimitri Payet
West Ham
Crystal Palace
2016
Matt Le Tissier
Southampton
Wimbledon
1994
David Beckham
Man Utd
Everton
2003
Alex
Chelsea
Arsenal
2010
Cristiano Ronaldo
Man Utd
Portsmouth
2008
Thierry Henry
Arsenal
Wigan
2005
Maynor Figueroa
Wigan
Stoke
2009
Elano
Man City
Newcastle
2007
John Arne Riise
Liverpool
Man Utd
2001
James Ward-Prowse
Southampton
Wolves
2022
10 James Ward-Prowse v Wolves (2022) An exquisite effort under pressure
You cannot speak of the best free-kicks in Premier League history without a reference to James Ward-Prowse. The Englishman could compile his own top 10 with the collection of goals that he has scored over the past few years.
Ward-Prowse provided a late challenge for Southampton in January 2022 – in a game they went on to lose 3-1 at Molineux – when his extraordinary 35-yard free-kick fired past Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Jose Sa.
It was an unbelievable, outrageous strike from Ward-Prowse, who could be classed as one of the most consistent dead-ball specialists in world football today. The effort required incredible technique to get such precision towards the back of the net and definitely added confidence to the set-piece supremo – not that he needed it – as the following season Ward-Prowse scored three more outstanding free-kicks against Chelsea, Everton and Fulham.
9 John Arne Riise v Man Utd (2001) A rocket from 'Carlos-esque' Riise
Known for his trademark ‘Roberto Carlos-esque’ left foot, a 21-year-old John Arne Riise produced an absolute stunner at Anfield against Liverpool's bitter enemies in November 2001.
With a game in hand, the Reds had the opportunity to extend their lead above Manchester United to four points when the two sides met in the 2001/02 season.
Just seven minutes after Michael Owen had put Liverpool ahead, Dietmar Hamann casually rolled the ball out from a free-kick to the No 18, who sent the home fans wild with his rocket from 27.7 yards out.
“It’s amazing the goal is still standing,” commentator Martin Tyler said, as Arne Riise’s incredible knee slide celebration – with his shirt wrapped over his head – put the icing on the cake in what turned out to be a crucial win for Liverpool.
8 Elano v Newcastle (2007) Brazilian strikes the perfect free-kick
Elano’s stunner against Newcastle United fits just as well on this list as the ball did into the top left corner in September 2007.
After Martin Petrov and Emile Mpenza had looked to secure all three points for the hosts, the popular former Manchester City midfielder made it even better with his sweet strike in a 3-1 win for his side at the Etihad.
Elano's effort went so high into the top left corner that Shay Given – one of the best goalkeepers the league had seen at the time – was standing on the same side as where the ball was struck, but could get nowhere near it.
It was one of the Brazilian's 14 goals in sky blue during a Premier League career in which he made 62 appearances.
7 Maynor Figueroa v Stoke (2009) Honduran delivers spectacular long-range effort
The sheer audacity to even attempt an effort like Maynor Figueroa’s in the 2-2 draw at the Britannia Stadium in December 2009 was something special.
Scott Sinclair had won the visitors a free-kick just inside their own half after a foul from Stoke City's Robert Huth. Figueroa then looked like he was about to play a quick pass to resume play. Instead, he smashed one with his left foot towards the goal of Thomas Sorensen.
The strike was so powerful and accurate from the Honduras international that Sorensen had no chance of getting back to it and the ball sailed straight into the top right corner.
It was a much-needed boost for a Wigan Athletic side, who had been thumped 9-1 by Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane a month prior, as they went on to narrowly avoid the drop at the end of the season.
6 Thierry Henry v Wigan (2005) Pick of the bunch in Golden Boot-winning season
Thierry Henry scored one of his finest goals in an Arsenal shirt at the DW Stadium in November 2005.
The Gunners found themselves leading two goals to one in the 41st minute, when Henry stepped up to produce a pinpoint free-kick that was so incredibly accurate, it looked as if Wigan goalkeeper John Filan was certain to have it covered, but the ball struck the post and went in.
Henry just stood still, as he knew what he had done was special. His fellow Arsenal teammates knew too, as the likes of Robin van Persie, Cesc Fabregas, Sol Campbell and Robert Pires ran over to get involved with the Frenchman's celebrations.
It was Henry’s seventh goal of the season, which subsequently led to a Golden Boot triumph after he scored a further 20.
5 Cristiano Ronaldo v Portsmouth (2008) A trademark strike
Cristiano Ronaldo’s spellbinding goal for Manchester United against Portsmouth in January 2008 doesn’t need much explanation – the celebration alone makes it one of the most recognisable free-kicks in world football.
It was one of the Portuguese man’s famous efforts in a campaign where he would go on to claim Player of the Season and win the Golden Boot with 31 goals, while guiding United to their tenth Premier League trophy.
Having already given his side the lead just three minutes prior, Ronaldo ushered an eager Wayne Rooney away from a free-kick that sat roughly 30 yards out from the experienced David James in goal.
The knuckle-ball is a shot defined by its lack of rotation, and if you need a better understanding of this, all you have to do is watch Ronaldo’s effort that sent the ball up and over the opposing wall past James, who won’t have conceded many better goals in his career.
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ByLuke RandallAug 20, 2024 4 Alex v Arsenal (2010) An unstoppable finish
When Alex signed for Chelsea from PSV Eindhoven in 2007, we're not sure many fans would've bet on him appearing in the list of the best Premier League free-kicks of all time.
As the only central defender to feature, it could be argued that Alex’s monstrous strike against Arsenal in October 2010 deserves a higher place, simply because of the pure venom his effort at Stamford Bridge produced.
The defending champions hadn't lost any momentum from the previous season, as they sat top of the Premier League having won five of their opening six games while scoring 21 goals.
Didier Drogba’s first-half goal looked to be the decider against their London counterparts, until Alex took interest in a dead ball with 85 minutes on the clock.
The Brazilian proceeded to sprint after the ball as if he was attempting a last-ditch, game-saving tackle before sending a ferocious shot past Lukasz Fabianski that nearly broke the net in the process.
3 Beckham v Everton (2003) One of the free-kick specialist's greatest-ever strikes
There are a plethora of options that spring to mind when David Beckham and free-kicks are mentioned in the same breath, but nothing is quite like his strike against Everton in May 2003.
United’s eighth Premier League title was already secure. However, the visitors found themselves a goal down at Goodison Park after Kevin Campbell had put the Toffees up early doors in the final game of the season.
With two minutes to play until the break, Richard Wright was still adjusting the position of the wall as Beckham lined himself up – taking seven or eight strides back to position himself in his trademark stance.
But the wall, consisting of a teenage Wayne Rooney, would ultimately make no difference. The Englishman whipped the ball from right to left, fooling Wright, who had stepped to his side just as the ball was hit, leaving him no chance of attempting a save.
It was a beautiful goal from Beckham, which turned out to be his last goal for the club, as United won the game 2-1 through a Ruud van Nistelrooy penalty – and subsequently lifted their 15th league title at full-time.
2 Matt Le Tissier v Wimbledon (1994) You've never seen anything like it
There are very few goals in world football – never mind the Premier League – that compare to Matt Le Tissier’s unique volleyed free-kick against Wimbledon at The Dell in February 1994.
When 22 teams graced the English top flight in the second season of its rebrand, Le Tissier’s Saints were desperate for three points when they faced the Dons as they battled for survival with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City.
"Jim Magilton said to me, right at the last minute, ‘Why don’t we try what we practised yesterday? And I thought: ‘Why not, I’ll give it a go’," Le Tissier told The Athletic in a 2020 interview.
And give it go he did. One simple back pass from Magilton and Le Tissier, who went on to score 100 goals in 270 Premier League appearances for Southampton, flicked the ball up and sent a thundering volley home in the same motion, creating bedlam amongst the home support.
1 Dimitri Payet v Crystal Palace (2016) Frenchman's inch-perfect free-kick is still jaw-dropping today
Stellar. Terrific. Out of this world. Any combination of words and phrases that relate to greatness would be suitable to describe Dimitri Payet’s free-kick for West Ham United against Crystal Palace in April 2016.
With his side pursuing a European spot, Payet was lighting up the Premier League in his debut season at the Hammers after joining from Marseille for £10.7m in the summer of 2015.
It was the 41st minute at Upton Park, the score all square at 1-1. Up stepped Payet as he struck the most beautiful free-kick into the top-right corner, which smashed in off the crossbar, leaving Wayne Hennessey stranded between the sticks. At first, the strike looks like it could be heading for row Z, before a gorgeous dip sends the ball flying into the net.
The dead-ball strike was so good that it could’ve passed as something you would see in a video game; fake, artificial. “It’s a seven-man wall, a wall and a half,” the co-commentator utters, just before Payet buried his free-kick, yet the No 27 could’ve had every player in the opposing wall and his ball would still have looped and glided straight into the top corner.
