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.
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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.
2) Hugo Almeida
Hugo Almeida’s 127 kmph free kick from 30 metres out in the 2005/06 Champions League group stage game against Inter Milan at the San Siro not only silenced the crowd but left the world in awe.
According to many football pundits, the slow motion video of the free kick does injustice to the magical shot by Almeida. Compared to a jet plane taking off, the ball travelled in a perfect upward trajectory and ended up plumb in the top right corner.
Inter goalkeeper Júlio César took his position to the right of the goal before the free-kick was taken. Eventually the ball dipped into the goal right past him a split second later and yet he could go nowhere near it.
3) Roberto Carlos
The 1997 edition of the Le Tournoi match between Brazil and the host nation France left dozens of physicists in utter confusion. The reason was Roberto Carlos’s free kick that defied the laws of physics.
Famously known as “The banana kick”, Carlos put the dead ball 35 metres out from the goal and then made a blazing run from another 10 meters out and hit the ball at a speed of 137 kmph. As the ball taken off from the pitch it took a left sided flight from the 5 men French wall, then as it went near the post, it suddenly curled right and into the goal, leaving Fabien Barthez unmoved.
Years later, the physicists proved that the kick was no fluke and it was purely scientific in nature.
Science might have taken its hands off after the proof of concept but the world of football maniacs still loves to see the jaw dropping wonder kick of Carlos.
4) Ronald Koeman
The 1992 European Cup Final between Sampdoria and Barcelona was decided by only a single late goal in the extra time by the Barcelona defender Ronald Koeman and what a goal it was!
A free kick conceded just outside the box in the 111th minute gave the Dutchman a chance to snatch glory. He didn’t disappoint at all as the 70,000 strong crowd leaped to their feet watching the thunderous strike.
The dead ball was slipped rolling by Hristo Stoichkov to Koeman’s feet as he struck it at a speed of 188 kmph. The tracer bullet took less than a split second before rumbling the back of the net from the bottom left corner of the post.
Despite going toe to toe, Koeman’s powerful strike left everyone unmoved as Barcelona clinched their first ever European Cup silverware.
5) Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
The Dutchman who tops our list is Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
Hasselbaink scored from an absolute stunner of a free kick against Manchester City in the 2005/06 Premier League season. The match was dominated by the Citizens of Manchester for the first 25 minutes. Then a flash of magic was seen from the Dutchman’s boot. 40 yards out from the goal, Hasselbaink struck the ball at a speed of approximately 230 kmph which dipped at the right moment to rumble the back of the net.
Known for his ability to hit the ball hard, Hasselbaink has scored from many free kicks all throughout his career for different clubs and country but this effort took him on top of everyone’s list of fastest free kicks ever recorded.
