In the Premier League, there are so many players with different styles and skill sets in their game. Some are world-class defenders or lethal strikers in front of goal, while some are players who are brilliant creators of goals.
However, there is also a group of players who, in their top-flight career in the Premier League, were adept at finding the net from free-kicks.
Below we look at the players in Premier League history that have scored the most goals from free-kicks. One thing you will notice is that many of these players are now well retired and that is partly due to recent data showing that players are now taking less long shots at goal, including from free-kicks. This is all due to xG and most coaches now believe that floating the ball in is more dangerous than having a shot. Therefore, it may be a long time before these records are broken.
David Beckham (18 free-kicks scored in the Premier League)
The former England captain became renowned for his set-piece ability throughout his playing career. Beckham scored 18 top-flight free-kicks in 265 appearances spread over nine seasons, having scored 62 goals in his top-flight career and produced 83 goals.
He failed to score a free-kick in his first two Premier League campaigns. However, once he scored his first top-flight free-kick in a 6-3 defeat against Southampton in October 1996, he developed a knack for scoring from set-pieces.
The Saints became his favourite team against which to score free kicks, as the midfielder scored three times against the team from the south coast in dead-ball situations.
Beckham didn’t limit his free-kick goals to the Premier League, though. Throughout his career, he scored 32 direct free-kicks in the leagues in which he appeared, including six in the Spanish top flight and one in MLS.
James Ward-Prowse (17 free-kicks scored in the Premier League)
Like Beckham, James Ward-Prowse is known for his set-piece expertise, having scored an impressive 17 free-kicks in his Premier League career.
The midfielder’s free-kick for Southampton in a shock 1-0 win at Chelsea in February 2023 took him to within touching distance of Beckham’s record.
His free-kick efforts have been crucial to his team’s chances of picking up points, as his strike at Stamford Bridge was the sixth time one of his free-kick goals has won his team a game.
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Ward-Prowse has actually favoured away games for his free-kick efforts. Thirteen of his 17 free-kick goals have been away from home, including his last eight efforts from dead-ball scenarios.
Despite playing for three different clubs in the Premier League, all 17 of the midfielder’s free-kick goals came while playing for Southampton.
As he is still playing in the Premier League, the England international still has a genuine chance of overtaking Beckham at the top of the goalscorers list.
Gianfranco Zola (12 free-kicks scored in the Premier League)
The Italian magician arrived at Chelsea to great fanfare at the age of 30 in 1996. In his seven seasons with the Blues, he scored 59 goals in the English top flight, with 12 of the goals coming from direct free-kicks.
Incredibly, three of his 12 free-kick goals came in September 2002, joining Wayne Rooney and Ian Harte in the list of players who have scored three free-kicks in one month in the Premier League era.
Thierry Henry (12 free-kicks scored in the Premier League)
Regarded as one of the finest players ever featured in the Premier League, the former France international scored 175 goals in 258 appearances in the English top flight, with 12 of the goals coming from direct free-kicks.
Four of his top-flight appearances came in a four-match loan spell at the end of his career. During this spell, he failed to score from a direct free kick, scoring just once in total.
Henry is by far the most prolific Arsenal free-kick taker in the Premier League era. His nearest contenders, Alexis Sanchez and Robin van Persie, scored just five goals from direct free-kicks apiece.
Cristiano Ronaldo (12 free-kicks scored in the Premier League)
The Portuguese superstar is another in the best-in-class bracket when it comes to the Premier League. He scored 103 goals in 236 appearances in the English top-flight over two spells with the men from Manchester, 12 of which came from direct free-kicks.
Ronaldo is the third youngest Premier League goalscorer from a dead ball situation, behind only Gareth Bale and Robbie Fowler, after scoring from a direct free-kick for United against Portsmouth in November 2003 at the age of just 18 years and 269 days old.
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The forward became an expert at taking free-kicks and scored 33 times from dead-ball situations in five European leagues, including La Liga and Serie A.
Only former Barcelona and Argentina legend Lionel Messi can better that total, having scored 41 times from free-kicks.
Sebastian Larsson (11 free-kicks scored in the Premier League)
The Swedish midfielder is another player who developed a reputation as a deadly set-piece taker during his Premier League career with Arsenal, Birmingham and Sunderland.
Forty-two per cent of his 25 goals in the English top flight came from direct free kicks. Although he only played three games for his first English club, Arsenal, he scored six free kicks for Birmingham and five later in his career at Sunderland.
Laurent Robert (11 free-kicks scored in the Premier League)
The skilful French winger played for Newcastle United, Portsmouth and Derby County. However, he scored just once for Portsmouth and failed to find the net in his four-game spell at County towards the end of his career.
In all, Robert scored 23 Premier League goals, with close to half of the strikes coming from set-piece situations. From players who managed eight or more goals from free-kicks, Robert averaged his free-kick goals the fastest, as he scored one every 994 minutes of playing time.
In 2001/02, Robert scored five goals from dead-ball situations, matching David Beckham’s record of five free-kick goals in one season, a record set in the previous campaign.
Ian Harte (10 free-kicks scored in the Premier League)
The former Republic of Ireland international played the majority of his top-flight career at his first club, Leeds United, where he spent nine seasons in Yorkshire.
Unsurprisingly for a defender, Harte wasn’t a prolific goalscorer in the Premier League, scoring just 28 goals in his career in the English top flight, with 36 per cent of his league goals coming from dead-ball situations.