Best all-time freekicker

Discussion in 'The Beautiful Game' started by k_nico, Apr 12, 2006.

  1. k_nico

    k_nico New Member

    Oct 20, 2005
    Copenhagen
    I'd say, what seperates the classic football from the 60's (-/+ 30 years) from the football we know today (90's+), is the condition of the balls. Did the classic Brazilian freekick experts have better or worse conditions to their freekicks than for example Juninho, probably the best current freekicker? The old balls seemed very light.
    But considering the players' conditions for shooting freekicks - who is the all-time best?
     
  2. Rakim_22

    Rakim_22 Member

    Manchester United
    Netherlands
    Sep 6, 2004
    Florida
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
  3. King-James

    King-James New Member

    May 27, 2005
    Keepers in the 60s generally sucked compared to the last 10 years too. And the walls have gotten wider and taller :D

    I'm pretty sure the ball has been about the same weight for nearly a century. There is this widespread myth that the ball is lighter today though.
    The ball design may help or hinder... not sure which. WOuld be cool if some great free kick takers would compare old designs to the new balls, and see what their comments were.
     
  4. leg_breaker

    leg_breaker Member

    Dec 23, 2005
    I would have thought that heavier balls would be easier to control because you could hit them harder for more spin without putting it in row z.
     
  5. impalemeplz

    impalemeplz Member

    Jul 7, 2004
    Sydney
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    i know this is true with rugby balls, but then again hitting it into row z is the objective in rugby:cool:
     
  6. ilovefotball

    ilovefotball Member

    Feb 11, 2006
    europe
    I have also read in some newspaper some years back that previous balls were easy to control than the balls used after 90 or so.
     
  7. benni...

    benni... BigSoccer Supporter

    Nov 23, 2004
    Chocolate City
    Depends on the material of the ball. If its pure leather, then its going to be very hard to get some life on the ball anyway. You wouldnt be seeing as many 30 yard bombs with heavy leather balls. But a ball made of this material (in which the name slips my mind now) and pumped to a certain standard, you wont need to put that much power,

    Has anyone heard the folk lure story about Pele and how he took a freekick in which hit the crossbar on a free kick, then told said that the mearsurments of the goal post were wrong, so when they measured it, he was right?

    Just a story I was told when I was a kid.
     
  8. k_nico

    k_nico New Member

    Oct 20, 2005
    Copenhagen
    For example, Haan's 40 yard (or something extreme like that) goal in 1978 (I think?) It doesn't seem like a hard kick but the ball is moving very fast, and that could indicate that the balls were very light.
     
  9. tpmazembe

    tpmazembe Member

    Jun 13, 2002
    The Midfield (S.Fla)
    Older balls were not easier to strike.

    As one who has owned an Addidas Telstar, Tango, Predator, Fernova, and now plays with a guy who owns a Roteiro, I can tell you without equivocation that today's balls are easier to hit - they are truer to distance, velocity and ability to impart spin. In fact the movement that you can put on the ball is ridiculous, even as a marginal ball striker. As I've gotten older all of my soccer skills have deteriorated considerably, except for my deadball strikes. The modern day ball is more forgiving.

    I remember the Telstar ball would feel like a medicine ball when it got wet. These new synthetic balls retain almost perfect weight and shape in inclimate weather. Plus, the panels and stitching process today makes the balls almost perfectly round.

    Plus, the manufacturing of these balls is much more consistent. Interchanging balls from game to game, or within the same game is easier on good ball strikers who value predictability.

    One can only imagine what the likes of Puskas and Didi would have conjured with a Roteiro.
     
  10. Jawz10

    Jawz10 Moderator

    Feb 27, 1999
    Indianapolis
    Club:
    AC Milan
    All time? No clue. I like Marcelinho Carioca though.
     
  11. GRBomber

    GRBomber Member

    Sep 12, 2005
    Brasília - Brazil
    Club:
    Sao Paulo FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    Juninho P. is better than he ever was.
     
  12. Moishe

    Moishe Moderator
    Staff Member

    Boca Juniors
    Argentina
    Mar 6, 2005
    Here there and everywhere.
    Club:
    CA Boca Juniors
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    Riquelme is better than anyone playing today. :)
     
  13. Ali_reza

    Ali_reza Member

    Mar 1, 2006
    If this is the same Juninho that plays in Lyon, yes, he's one of the best ever. He has about 30 free kicks for Lyon. a lot of them from around the 30 meters.

    One of his last ones was from 38 meters !
     
  14. QuadrupleTree

    QuadrupleTree New Member

    Feb 19, 2006
    Juninho Pernambucano developed his deadball ability by studying the techniques of the master Arthur Antunes Coimbra.
     
  15. k_nico

    k_nico New Member

    Oct 20, 2005
    Copenhagen
    Is that the one against Ajaccio? That is one of the most amazing since Carlos' in 98
     
  16. dﮥnny

    dﮥnny New Member

    Mar 26, 2005
    US
    To me it has to be Gianfrano Zola. At Parma there was a time
    where his ratio of freekick goals was one goal to every three
    free kicks.
     
  17. Redshift

    Redshift Member+

    Dec 14, 2004
    Los Angeles, CA
    Club:
    Corinthians Sao Paulo
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    It's hard to decide the "best ever" in anything, particularly when there are so many good choices.

    Let me put in a word for Roberto Rivelino though.

    In activity today, there are several excellent FK takers that haven't been mentioned:

    Two of my favorites are Alex de Sousa and Rivaldo.
     
  18. Ali_reza

    Ali_reza Member

    Mar 1, 2006
    Yes it was against Ajaccio. Actually i just saw it was from 41 m !

    Here it is

    And here you have some other of his free kicks :

    http://www.forum-foot.info/vt235.foot
     
  19. babaorum

    babaorum Member+

    Aug 20, 2005
    Marseille
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    To me it's Platini.
     
  20. Seaside Mafia

    Seaside Mafia New Member

    May 29, 2005
    London
    In the 50s and 60s the leather balls were heavier, especially when it rained as the leather absorbed some of the moisture, making it significantly heavier. As a result, it was harder to bend a dead ball (as distinct from a moving ball), and the ball never really moved in the air - unlike today where a shot can change direction twice, hence more goalkeepers punching these fays rather than catching.
    It's also why a significant number of players from that era, especially defenders and strikers, have had the same sorts of brain disorders that you find in boxers in later like, because heading a wet leather ball direct from a goalkeepers lick downfield, was not dissimilar to being hit.
    You've also got to bear on mind that in the 50s and 60s the pitches were rubbish compaerd to nowadays with players often playing on mud rather than grass - and the mud only added to the weight of the ball - again being absorbed.
     
  21. k_nico

    k_nico New Member

    Oct 20, 2005
    Copenhagen
    Thanks

    You don't consider Juninho as a hard kicker, but this one doesn't go higher than the bar...

    The only thing I've seen that looks like this is Oleksandr Aliev's goal for the Ukrainian U20 team against Turkey
    But I can't find any video of it
     
  22. Seaside Mafia

    Seaside Mafia New Member

    May 29, 2005
    London
    Bloody hell - he passed it down the middle of the pitch and into the middle of the goal. What was the keeper doing ???
     
  23. Ricardinho10

    Ricardinho10 New Member

    Sep 11, 2005
    Joburg, South Africa
    David Beckham because it's all he is good at and will be remebered for.
     
  24. benni...

    benni... BigSoccer Supporter

    Nov 23, 2004
    Chocolate City

    I always wondered why I couldnt punt or kick a ball 85 meters down field like I see with the pro's.
     
  25. Ali_reza

    Ali_reza Member

    Mar 1, 2006
    LOL the balls just goes too fast.

    Juninho gives a little lift to his shots, so the ball dives down very fast the last meter.

    Porato (Ajaccio's goal) is'nt the first goal that looks a little ridiculos.
     

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