5 fastest ever recorded free-kicks in football history.

Okocha had a rifle of a foot during his playing days

When it comes to kicking a running ball or directing a volley, a footballer can kick it as hard as Rafael Nadal’s stinging aces but the art of brilliant free-kick does not entirely depend on how hard it was kicked. There is much more to it than only speed like the angle from the goal, height of the wall and distance from the goal.

The lightning speed of the ball can generate an unusual curved locus that often leaves the goalkeeper helpless but then again the flight of the ball can end up hitting the spectators behind the goal and thus it leads to a missed opportunity.

Hence, the difference between a dead ball specialist and a hard kicker of the ball is that, a specialist knows exactly how hard the ball should be kicked to achieve the glory of scoring a goal.

Here’s a list of 5 fastest ever recorded free kicks that ended up in glory.

1) Jay-Jay Okocha

Jay-Jay Okocha was making headlines every other week in England back in the early 2000s but the Bolton legend's display against Aston Villa in the Carling Cup semi-final first leg in January 2004 was arguably his best in a white shirt.

He scored twice in the 5-2 win at the Reebok Stadium, but the free-kick in the 80th minute, which flew in the near post past the stunned Thomas Sørensen, was one of the outstanding moments of the whole season.

The shot was hit at a speed of 119 kmph which had a magical curl in it that left Sørensen only as a spectator. He could only applaud the effort along with the 15,000 home fans and millions others watching it on the television.