The 20 Players Who Have Scored Most Free-Kicks This Century Have Been Revealed, Lionel Messi Only Ranks At No 4

Juninho Pernambucano ranks ahead of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham as the player who has scored the most club free-kicks in the 21st century.

The Brazilian dead-ball specialist is widely revered as one of the best free-kick takers of all time, with Juninho leaving fans in awe at his brilliance.

PopFoot compiled the data and found that Juninho scored an incredible 74 times from the free-kick spot in his club football career.

The 47-year-old Lyon legend’s goalscoring free-kick haul puts him well clear of the competition, with Brazilian former goalkeeper Rogerio Ceni ranking second with 59.

“I was always great at shooting, but as a child, I didn’t have enough power to score free-kicks,” Juninho told FourFourTwo.

“I played futsal until I was 13 and didn’t really score much, but it was around then that I started to take some free-kicks.

“The wall was too close, though, so it was rare that I’d hit the goal. It wasn’t until I got to France that I mastered my technique.”

Ronaldinho completes the trinity of Brazilian dominance in the free-kick rankings, with the former Barcelona superstar plundering 55 goals from the dead ball.

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Hot on the heels of Ronaldinho is former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi, who took home the fourth spot with 50 club goals from free-kicks.

Ronaldo is three shy of Paris Saint-Germain superstar Messi at 47 goals, while Manchester United legend Beckham scored 43 times from free-kicks and finished sixth. 

Posted below are the top 20 players who have scored the most free-kicks in their club careers this century, according to PopFoot.

20. Dimitri Payet (Marseille): 14

19. Robert Skov (Hoffenheim): 15

18. Nene (Vasco da Gama): 15

17. Christian Eriksen (Brentford): 16

16. Daniel Wass (Atletico Madrid): 16

15. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan): 18

14. Aleksandar Kolarov (Inter Milan): 19

13. Miralem Pjanic (Barcelona/Besiktas): 21

12. Juan Roman Riquelme (retired): 22

11. Hakan Calhanoglu (Inter Milan): 25

10. Wesley Sneijder (retired): 26

9. Roberto Carlos (retired): 27

8. Andrea Pirlo (retired): 30

7. Alessandro Del Piero (retired): 37

6. David Beckham (retired): 43 

5. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United): 47

4. Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain): 50

3. Ronaldinho (retired): 55

2. Rogerio Ceni (retired): 59

1. Juninho Pernambucano (retired): 74

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Juninho, Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, Alessandro Del Piero, Andrea Pirlo, Roberto Carlos, Football