Hakan Calhanoglu Scored One of the Greatest Free-Kicks Ever vs Dortmund in 2014

Hakan Calhanoglu knows his way around a free-kick. Sure, his set-piece majesty might have somewhat petered out in Serie A, but his David Beckham-like quality from dead-ball situations, irrespective of the distance from goal, couldn’t have been any clearer during his glory days in the Bundesliga.

Besides, no matter how many times you tell us that Calhanoglu scored nine (yes, as many as nine) free-kicks in the 2015/16 campaign for German top flight outfit Bayer Leverkusen, we have to double-check the statistics every single time – because, well, it’s an incredible haul.

In the 2012/13 season with Karlsruhe SC, Mannheim-born Calhanoglu bagged seven goals from free-kicks. His very best effort, however, came during his 38-outing stint at Hamburg as Jurgen Klopp, the Borussia Dortmund manager at the time, witnessed true greatness.

Calhanoglu: A Certified Free-Kick Expert

But alas, Calhanoglu – who is, understandably, recognised as one of the greatest free-kick takers in world football – really was that prolific in said situations during his time in Germany. Though, as mentioned, it was actually a set-piece wonder goal for Hamburg that endures as the jewel in his crown.

It came during a spectacular 3-0 win over Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund during the 2013/14 season, which was just one year after Die Schwarzgelben had been competing against Bayern Munich in the Champions League final, highlighting the fact they were anything but slouches.

Nevertheless, Hamburg put on a stunning performance at Volksparkstadion, cantering into stoppage time with a 2-0 lead courtesy of goals from Petr Jiracek and Pierre-Michel Lasogga. Then stepped up Calhanoglu, who had perfected the craft of diverting his efforts past goalkeepers.

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As a result, there was a real feeling of inevitability elicited from both sets of supporters. Both Hamburg and Dortmund, with the scoreline already put to bed by the former, were winding down the game when Hamburg won a free-kick around the halfway line with just a few minutes left on the clock.

Set-piece specialist Calhanoglu (now 31 years of age) stood over the ball, but there didn’t appear to be the slightest suggestion that he would shoot when his run-up literally saw him standing in the centre circle. In fact, Dortmund didn’t even bother setting up a wall.

Calhanoglu’s Hamburg Worldie vs Dortmund

Goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller – despite trying – had no chance

They might have wished that they did when Calhanoglu detonated the dynamite in his football boot, though, because he proceeded to unleash one of the greatest free-kick goals of the modern era.

It really was an ‘absolute missile’ just as the commentator remarked, leaving Klopp absolutely flabbergasted while his Dortmund players elicited a combination of disbelief and utter awe at Calhanoglu’s attempt. Check out the stunning strike in its entire glory down below:

Take a bow, Hakan, take a bow. There’s no denying that the movement on the ball was exactly what allowed Calhanoglu to score a free-kick from the sort of range where even a decent cross into the penalty would seem ambitious.

Besides, unless your name is Roberto Carlos, a scorer of one of the best free-kicks in football history, it’s nigh on impossible to get so much power on a set-piece from that far out to beat a professional goalkeeper. And there’s good reason to think that Roman Weidenfeller had Calhanoglu’s shot covered.

That was until the moment it aggressively veered to his right-hand slide, forcing a dive that was ultimately in vain. But take nothing away from the fact that Calhanoglu produced a strike for the ages, and we don’t doubt for a second that fans will keep providing its brilliance with millions and millions of views.