Beckham was not a pioneer. Rivelino, Zico, Platini and Maradona to name a few were as good technically as him -if not better- and did not rely on power.
I'd say that is simply not ture, he's considered the best at crossing, because his crosses were transcendent, better than any of the players you mentioned (for example before Beckham got into the Utd first team Giggs was regarded as the best corner taker and best crosser in the PL, but he was totally eclipsed by Beckham in these departments). Beckham had excellent all-round technique, the main reason he didn't dribble anywhere near as much as Giggs or Overmars is they simply had lots more pace. I've seen him beat players one on one with some superb moves, but that just wasn't hsi game. I don't know where you got the idea that he couldn't finish or wasn't excellent at through balls, he scored plenty of goals that weren't free kicks and he played several seasons as a central midfielder. These days he probably is just a crossing/FK machine, but his peak was almost 10 years ago and I think it's fashinable to slate him because of his massive media profile, but don't forget how good he was in his prime.
Sorry must disagree, the kind of technique that Beckham used simply wasn't possible in the days of those players. Beckham was the fist player to really take advantage of how much control you could get on the flight of a ball with the advances in boot and ball technology in the 90's.
he is just not my type of winger precisely because he is a crossing machine, and not as complete as other wingers, but since free kicks is the subject, in that he is among the best.
Sorry but you are talking out your arse. Baggio, Hagi and many more took free kicks with a better conversion rate than Beckham in a similar fashion before him, he was no pioneer.
Are you rewriting history now? Giggs crossing was average at best when he was younger due to his explosive pace it was hard for him to fully get the ball under control to get a good cross in. Even now his crossing is only good, he has never been anywhere near the best crossers of a ball in the premiership.
Rubbish, neither Baggi or Hagi got anywhere near the curl that Beckham did. Beckham was a player of his time, he could not of existed in an earlier period than he did because he relied on what could be done with the newer footballs.
Okay, who was better before Beckham became a Man Utd regular? Darren Anderton maybe, butGiggs was known for the kind of things Beckham did,until Beclham arrived on the scene.
..and if beckham and del piero are listed, why not nakamura and sneijder? i like how you want to include some of the ancient players but ehm replace pele with chilavert please
Pele had a very good ratio (around 1/3), scored 2 free kicks in world cups, something not many players have done, and he was both good taking them with the inner part of the foot, and with the outer part as well.
Stuart Ripley, Nicky Summerbee, Ginola were all much better at crossing than Giggs. Also more established players such as Waddle were streets ahead of Giggs.
Everyone has the odd skeleton in the closet, but Pele's free kicks were all exactly brilliant, if this clip is anything to go by... [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4fzeK3SQa4&feature=related"]YouTube- Fantasy Football League - Pele Was Shite[/ame]
I'm sure there are far better examples about...but that was just a shot hit through an apallingly lined up wall. He didn't even ned to curl it, just bang it in straight.
Zico for sure. Beckham is nothing compared with Zico. Zico + Freekick = Goal Zico has 87 freekicks goals