Top 7 active free-kick scorers in the Premier League
Scoring free-kicks is one of the most beautiful sights in football. Luckily for the Premier League, they have played host their fair share of dead-ball magicians.
While David Beckham was leaps and bounds over every other free-kick taker in his time, there are a few players in the league, at the moment, who could challenge the free-kick maestro for his position at the top. We look at the 7 best free-kick scorers in the Premier League right now.
#7 Willian Borges - 4 goals
Willian is arguably one of the greatest South American dead-ball specialists to play in the Premier League. Teams always knew they were in trouble once Willian has had his sights on goal. A relatively short run-up, a wicked bend, and off it went into the top corner.
In his last season at Chelsea, the Brazilian was one of the leading free-kick goalscorers in the top 5 leagues in Europe. Willian, though, has surprisingly scored just four free-kicks in the Premier League. A number that doesn't in any way reflect the deadly nature of his free-kicks.
#6 James Maddison - 4 goals
This a player who is likely to go up the list in the future. James Maddison is one of the best young free-kick takers in the country. The former Norwich man has already scored four from just two seasons.
In fact, 4 of his 14 Premier League goals have come from free-kicks. If not for his injury troubles last season, the attacking midfielder would've been higher up the list.
When you draw inspiration from David Beckham and have a similar technique to the legendary free-kick taker, you are bound to be good.
#5 James Milner - 4 goals
It's been a really long time since we have seen James Milner taking free-kicks in the Premier League. The presence of Philippe Coutinho in his early days at Liverpool and the emergence of Trent-Alexander Arnold has seen the midfielder going down the pecking order, when it comes to free-kicks, at the club.
However, people tend to forget the player's expertise when it comes to free-kicks. Usually, tasked with taking deeper free-kicks, Milner has at times proven himself to be lethal. His short yet powerful run has seen quite a few goalkeepers beaten for precision.
The Liverpool midfielder has scored four free-kicks in his career. The former England international, though, last scored from a dead-ball situation during his debut season for Liverpool against his old club Aston Villa.