@Ibime,
As of November 5, 2008, Juninho has scored 40 goals from direct free kicks for Olympique Lyonnais
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juninho_Pernambucano

These 40 do not count those scored for Brazil national team. He played for 10 years in Brazil how many free kicks do you tink he would have scored there?.

I have seen Rivaldo score twice in a game can you tell me if beckham has ever done this? Which are the big free kicks beckham has taken? against Greece and who again?

My friend, scratch all this Rivaldo et al yarns. I am only willing to compare Juninho and Mihaljovic to Beckham. All other players are not worth comparison. How many freekicks has Rivaldo scored in his career? That he scored twice in one game tells me nothing. Thats like me saying Ratchenko must be a better striker than Ronaldo because he scored 5 against Cameroun in USA '94 and Ronaldo has never scored 5 in an International.

Now to Juninho:

How many times has he played for Brazil, much less scored freekicks?

Beckhams career started in 1996. He started playing for Man Utd circa 1997. Juninho has been at Lyon since 2001.

Therefore we cannot rate anything he did before that as it was not in our consciousness, that is of course unless you are an avid follower of Brazilian league.

I stated that Beckham was probably the best freekick taker from 1997 to 2002.

These are not intercepting time-frames.

Comparing Beckhams period of dominance (1997 - 2002) to Juninho's period of dominance (2001 - 2008), we can then decide who is the best freekick taker.

Rivaldo earned himself the distinction as top scorer of the tournament with 5 goals, one being the equaliser from a trademark free-kick in a 2-1 win over Argentina in the quarter finals, and two in the 3-0 victory over Uruguay in the final. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament

Trade mark means what?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rivaldo


I believe Rivaldo scored more free kicks than Beckham. I can remember almost 10 on top of my head without being much of a Rivaldo fan.

Against Olympiakos vs Liverpool 2004, Barcelona vs Valencia 2001, Barcelona vs AC Milan 2002 (2 goals) UCL, against Man Utd, Against Lyon,

Below is a youtube clip and most of the freekicks I mentioned are not even shown


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrEU3DdThEQ&feature=related

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIglcCaJuVA&feature=related

juninho is a wizard abeg!!!!
beckham na small boy

Okocha's freekicks during his reign at bolton were top class!!!!
the second against villa tops my list

Juninho

@dayokanu
Haba!! if we are talking about freekicks scored in big games then Juninho should not be in the picture we should mention Zidane before Juninho remember France vs Spain Euro 2000 and France vs England Euro 2004

How can you say the goal Becks scored against Greece was not a big game goal? England needed a point in that game to qualify for the World Cup they where a goal down and it was almost game over

talking about best free kick taker: for old players i'd give it to Hristo Stoichkov and for those still on the game i'll give it to David Becks. Tho juninho has been more consistent in th erecent years,

@A-40,
Juninho's prowess came to my in 2003 when he hung Oliver Kahn who was at his peak then.

In 2003 he did the same to Toldo against Inter Milan. These are tough CL games

right now its del piero, but juninho has been consistent, then i cant believe nobobody mentioned van hoijoink

Mihajlovic is the best taker of all time, but in a list without Pirlo, Ronaldinho and Nakamura I won't be voting. Sorry. Wendel is on form and Del Piero has recovered form but don't ever take it away from Pernambucano, he is the closest to Mihajlovic. Stoitchkov hmmm, that's another fella! Banana freekick - Carlos but more of a set piece player like Gerrard and Taiwo (All have gangsta shots).

In this poll, less than 3 years ago: https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-19873.0.html

Only 1 person picked Van hooijdonk, Wendel didnt make it and no one picked Piero at all - even Okocha was rated higher.

Apart from Juninho i beg where you put

(i)  Zidane
(ii) Ronaldinho
(iii) Stoitchkov
(iv) koeman
(v) Pirlo
and Rivaldo

let's have mercy on Jayjay as well

boys, facts! facts!!


the best as i kan say is sinisa m, but he is retired.


but as i kan say for active players,

NAKAMURA( chei!!! this guy has a curve of 99- watch the two free kicks he scored againstman utd in the 2006/2007 season)

DEL PIERO(neva ending talent and still scoring. has accracy and dip).

JUNINHO(the guy with the most confusing free kick-swerve, power,dip. a nytmare to goalies).

C RONALDO( this guy is a fake- the english media hype. over priced).

BECKHAM(pure talent in striking the ball at an angle-much better with indirect free kicks).

as i said

the best of all tym is sinisa m

in addition to my list is
PIRLO(has dip , accuracy, but he is better at hitting the bol at an angle)

RIVALDO(am a die hard barca fan but rivaldo was good-probably had creativity than natural talent in taking free kicks. he started the "under the wall syndrome" but he is way behind sinisa, nakamura, pernambucano,del p)


by the way i neva knew wendel is good at free kicks?!!!
well he is still makin a name for him self.

for me Okocha is d best

is this a premiership poll
lampard? ballack? gerrard? for best free-kick takers in the world?

BECKHAM best of all time.

This kind of poll can/should be in two parts: Best of all time & presently. Hence when we talk of all time, the likes of David Becham, Pirlo & Juninho are taken. But when you talk about present form, using this season as the basis, for me I will give it to Del Piero and even Mikel Arteta.

Becks remains the best.Juninho can never score the kind of freekick that gave England Germany 2006 ticket.

Becks remains the best.Juninho can never score the kind of freekick that gave England Germany 2006 ticket

Most people who said Beckham dont know anything about football aside what the English media feeds them.Which Beckham free kick qualified England for world cup?

Do u know about other people who used free kicks to qualify for world cups and win tournaments?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldeStp0-xGg&feature=related

best of all time?
Sinisa.After him,Juninho.
Best now?
What is Lampard doing in this list?
And who is bringing Jay-jay here?
Pirlo,Ronaldinho not there?
Sorry,the list is inconclusive.
As for Beckham,when last did he score from a free-kick?
He's not as consistent as Juninho.
Answers,anyone!!!

Robin Van Persie My best player in the whole world!!!

@Eastbay,
I think you are the most sensible EPL fan around.
All we hear is Beckham everywhere when the guy has been so inconsistent.
Zidane scores free kicks but no one would rate him here,
Henry scores a few free kicks too even Taiye taiwo but consistency is the key.
Any stats regarding Beckhams conversion rates?

Hey free kick takers in the world , hmmm ,wow, I dont think theres any best in the world but there are gurus around ,

Endo of Gamba osaka hes good too , van der sar will tell more
Nakata is pretty good too
nakamura is also a wizard
Rooney is good too , Hat-trick against fenerbache one of his goals is a free kick too far back 04 i think
Wesley sniejder born free kick taker
Ronald Koeman very good too in his time
My own Dider Drogba is also not left out
well jay jay sha , against Aston-Villa 03/04
Mihalovic
Daniel Alves very experienced
Lampard is just trying but hes good too.
Ballack is gooooooooooood

I think Dyabman is the best in world , all his goals are free kicks and he scored over 900 goals in his career before he joined twente fc in 2009.


On top of it all Juniho is the Best , he takes free kicks from 45 yards , Incredible ,

Maybe Juninho is the best around now.
But to be good you have to be doing it at a consistent basis.
Beckham's last great free-kick was in 2001 vs Greece.
Juninho hammers in from excss of 40yards.

Juninho, Wizard (can score a freekick from the centre half) 40 freekicks for lyon as at Nov 2008?Waow! Hleb scored 11goals in 3 seasons, Idiot!!!
Beckham, Very good, disregarding the hype
Stoichkov, Amazing
Rivaldo, very good too
Henry/Okocha/Sneijder/Ballack/Van Persie/Gerrard, Good
C Ron, i'm sorry to say, annoying freekicks, cud be put under the category of "good"
Lampard, shldnt be listed, but if need be, then Kolo Toure, Belleti, Taye Taiwo shld be considered,

Remember, we are talking about World's best freekick takers!

So Juninho, Becky, , help meeeeeee,

Juninho, Mihajlovic, Stoitchov, Rivaldo are the icons

Pirlo, Beckham, Henry are below those ones

dayokanu:

Most people who said Beckham dont know anything about football aside what the English media feeds them.Which Beckham free kick qualified England for world cup?

Do u know about other people who used free kicks to qualify for world cups and win tournaments?

How many times do i have to repeat myself? [size=16pt]England vs Greece for the Korea/Japan 2002 World Cup[/size]

PDF:

Juninho, Wizard (can score a freekick from the centre half) 40 freekicks for lyon as at Nov 2008?Waow! Hleb scored 11goals in 3 seasons, Idiot!!!

I concur

Beckham jare