10 Best Free-Kick Takers in the Premier League Right Now [Ranked]

There are very few things as satisfying in football as seeing a free-kick smashed into the top corner. Whether it’s a David Beckham-esque curler or a prime Cristiano Ronaldo knuckleball, the ability to strike a dead ball from distance into the back of the net requires an incredible amount of power, precision, and technique.

In recent years, these types have become few and far between, with just 11 direct free-kicks scored in the 2023/24 Premier League season. However, this scarcity makes it all the more special when it does happen. As for who the most likely candidates are to produce such a moment of magic, these 10 players have the track record to lay claim to that honour.

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10 Bruno Fernandes

Premier League direct free-kick goals: 1

Aside from the brief stint when Cristiano Ronaldo came back to town, Bruno Fernandes has consistently been Manchester United’s go-to man for most of the Red Devils’ dead-ball plays. Although his record of just one goal may not look that impressive, he has come agonisingly close on other occasions, either forcing goalkeepers into saves or striking the woodwork.

Away from his goals – of which he has nine in his entire career – the Portuguese magnifico can also deliver a dangerous cross when shooting is not an option. It’s just a shame that it is very rare for his teammates to convert, given the ongoing issues in front of goal for Erik ten Hag’s men.

9 Kieran Trippier

Premier League direct free-kick goals: 4

With the exception of David Beckham’s stunning effort against Greece to help England qualify for the 2002 World Cup, Kieran Trippier may lay claim to the most famous free-kick goal in a Three Lions shirt. His effort in the early stages of the 2018 World Cup semi-final had the country believing football was truly coming home.

While it wasn’t meant to be, it rubber-stamped the fact that the veteran full-back was truly a danger man from distance. Those who weren’t already aware of this quickly took notice. He has since gone on to score four direct free-kick goals for both Tottenham and Newcastle, giving him a total of eight in his career. Not bad for a defender.

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8 Andreas Pereira

Premier League direct free-kick goals: 0

Now, it would be easy to think that the fact Andreas Pereira has never scored a free-kick in the Premier League is enough to cast doubt on his place in this ranking. However, those who have followed his career closely will know exactly how much of a threat the Brazilian can be.

While he has gone on to attract interest from teams in European competitions, at Manchester United, Pereira was labelled with the ‘pre-season Pirlo’ tag. This was because of his ability to produce random moments of magic that made fans wonder if he could have an impact on the first team. One such moment was the beauty of a free-kick against Liverpool, which emphasised his ability in such scenarios.

7 Kevin De Bruyne

Premier League direct free-kick goals: 4

There are very few things Kevin De Bruyne can’t do. The Belgian is a master passer, a goal threat, and a dictator on the pitch. So, it’s no surprise that even with a wall in front of him, the 33-year-old is often unstoppable.

Much like Fernandes at cross-town rivals United, De Bruyne has largely been the main man when it comes to set pieces, although he had more competition from the likes of David Silva and Yaya Toure in the past. With those two out of the way, the former Chelsea man cemented his spot as number one until his recent injuries, which have given another star the chance to assume the mantle at Manchester City.

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6 Phil Foden

Premier League direct free-kick goals: 2

With De Bruyne out of the picture, it was left to last season’s PFA Player of the Year to step up and take free-kicks in his iconic teammate’s place. Phil Foden doesn’t have the reputation of being a natural set-piece taker. However, if he continues in the same vein as he has over the last 12 months, that could quickly change.

Foden was built in the mould of the diminutive David Silva, and as such, he also takes free-kicks like the Spaniard. Recent history has shown that he is also developing a similar sort of accuracy too.

5 Christian Eriksen

Premier League direct free-kick goals: 8

Though he hasn’t scored a direct free-kick goal in English football since the 2019/20 campaign, Christian Eriksen’s record speaks for itself. The Dane was a set-piece specialist at Tottenham, and when on the pitch, he even usurped the aforementioned Fernandes due to the quality he possesses.

Whether it be finding the back of the net – something only one other current player has done more than him – or finding teammates from wider positions, Eriksen has maintained the technique to be a constant threat from a dead-ball situation, even as he declines physically.

4 Cole Palmer

Premier League direct free-kick goals: 1

There aren’t enough superlatives at the moment to describe Cole Palmer. The Chelsea man has been given the platform to show the world exactly what he is capable of, something that may have never come his way had he stayed in the North-West.

One of the talents that the English Player of the Year has been able to showcase is his ability at set-pieces. He is one of the most recent goalscorers from such a situation, netting an extraordinary goal on his way to becoming the first person to ever score four goals in a single half of Premier League football. Expect this not to be the last time he conjures up this kind of magic.

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3 James Maddison

Premier League direct free-kick goals: 8

If the goal was a metaphorical darts board, then James Maddison is no stranger to hitting the bullseye when stepping up to take a free-kick. The Tottenham man often gets lost in this conversation due to the notoriety of some of his fellow England colleagues that appear, but he is arguably better than the lot of them.

Like Eriksen, the former Leicester City man has eight strikes in the Premier League to his name, meaning just one other active star sits above him on the all-time list. The midfielder will be hopeful of breaking into double digits by the time his career comes to an end.

2 Trent Alexander-Arnold

Premier League direct free-kick goals: 7

It’s not just his team that Trent Alexander-Arnold has been able to help with his incredible ability from free-kicks. It’s also his bank account, too, as Jack Grealish revealed following his international teammate’s recent effort against Finland in the Nations League.

In many ways, the Liverpool vice-captain has transformed the role of a full-back with his unlimited prowess with the ball at his feet. How the 25-year-old can spray a 60-yard pass on a dime extends to his ability to find the perfect spot from distance when called upon. If not for one man who is near impossible to topple, the crown would belong to the revolutionary right-back.

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1 James Ward-Prowse

Premier League direct free-kick goals: 17

Who else? David Beckham may currently be the king of free-kicks in Premier League history, but James Ward-Prowse is most certainly the prince in waiting. With just two more goals needed to break the all-time goalscoring record, the former Southampton stalwart is so close to etching his name in history for a very long time, as it is hard to imagine anyone else potentially reaching 19.

The fact that Ward-Prowse’s dead-ball speciality has never manifested itself into an international tournament call-up, something which can be decided by a team’s strength at set-pieces, is baffling. However, you can’t argue with the stats, as the Nottingham Forest loanee is the rightful choice for first place.

Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 17-10-24.