Watch: Top 5 free kicks of 2016
Who doesn’t love a good free kick? One of the most pleasing things about football is seeing a player perfectly kick that ball and beat the keeper from some distance as the fans in the stadium go wild with joy.
Goals are loved by everyone, but few are remembered with such fondness as a brilliant free kick. Roberto Carlos’ famous banana kick, Cristiano Ronaldo’s sensational hit vs Portsmouth, and most of David Beckham’s curlers - these goals are the stuff legends are made up of.
2016 saw some brilliant free kicks being taken, both at club and international level. Although it was an almost impossible task to narrow it down to just a few, here we look at the best of the lot –
#5 Dimitri Payet vs Manchester United
2016 was the year of Dimitri Payet. From sensational performances for his club in the Premier League to match winning goals in the Euros for his country, the French international did it all. Most recently, Payet scored another free kick for West Ham United against Liverpool at Anfield.
This sensational effort came against Manchester United at Old Trafford on the 13th of March. The midfielder hit the ball beautifully and beat David de Gea in front of the home fans to give his team a 0-1 lead in the FA Cup quarter finals. Although the game would ultimately end level and United would advance in the replay, Payet’s free kick was a memorable moment and definitely earns its place in the top 5.
Not only was the free kick very important in giving West Ham the lead, it was made even more special as Payet had beaten one of the best goalkeepers in the world from that distance with relative ease.