10 players with the highest free kick conversion rate

There is something extra special about a goal scored via a free kick. Watching the ball float over the imposing wall before dipping back down again with a venomous dip and swerve adds tremendous character and wow factor to the whole experience. Whether it comes from close range or far, far out it is always nice to see a goal flash in past the keeper (provided your team is not on the receiving end).Down through the years, football has been graced with some fine dead-ball specialists. Whether it has been Rivelino, Didi, David Beckham, Ronaldinho or Juninho Pernambucano, there have always been some top-class performers who have known precisely what to do when given a free strike at goal.What about today? Who has stood tallest in recent years from the teams in Europe’s top five leagues (Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue 1)? Andrea Pirlo, perhaps? Cristiano Ronaldo? Lionel Messi? You would be surprised who features in our list of the top 10 free kick takers of the last two seasons. Read on to find out.All statistics courtesy of WhoScored (data supplied by Opta) featuring players who have scored at least three goals from at least 20 attempts at goal.

#10 Gareth Bale

Wales are off to the European Championships in France, and although it took a monumental team effort, it’s true that Gareth Bale played a pivotal role in helping them get there.

The Real Madrid star has often had to live under the shadow of several of his team-mates since joining the La Liga outfit from Tottenham Hotspur, but he has nevertheless impressed with a fair number of good performances. One of his biggest strengths has come when he’s elected to shoot from dead balls.

Although he has only scored three times from 24 attempts, he maintains a 12.25 percent record. Perhaps Los Blancos fans, team-mates (here’s looking at you Ronaldo) and management would do well to have more faith in the Welsh wizard.

After all, when he can blast in wonder-goals like the one he netted against Espanyol back in January, it’s a bit of a head-scratcher he hasn’t been given more opportunities. Regardless, he’ll have plenty of chances to shine on French soil in 2016, and we can’t wait to see him flex his free kick muscles then.

#9 Hakan Calhanoglu

If you didn’t already know Hakan Calhanoglu was one of the best strikers of a free kick in European football (and possibly the world), then shame on you. It’s an understatement to say that he is trumping all sorts of players with bigger reputations and bigger names than he, because he’s been banging the goals in for the last number of seasons.

To be more precise, the 21-year-old has scored 11 goals from dead-ball situations – more than any other player in any of the continent’s top leagues. Already, the Turkey international has attracted the attentions of many of the globe’s biggest clubs. Most recently, according to Fichajes (h/t Metro’s George Bellshaw), he has caught the eye of Manchester United’s Louis van Gaal.

Whether or not he’ll depart Bayer Leverkusen during the January transfer window remains to be seen, but it’s clear he has the abilities the very best are looking to make themselves even better. That said, he’ll need to improve his conversion rate, which currently stands at 13.5 percent from 82 attempts. In short, then, he’s a tad trigger happy, but as he’s so young that can probably be whittled down to a lack of experience.

More and more practice on the training pitch should cure what ails him.

#8 Kevin Mirallas

Truth be told, yours truly was a little surprised to see the Belgium international’s name pop up on this particular list, too. Having said that, statistics don’t lie (much) and his three conversions from 22 attempts sees him sit in a smug position ahead of some key players.

The Everton attacker has proven his salt on a number of occasions, but much like Bale he’s perhaps not been afforded the necessary opportunities. His league strikes have come against Aston Villa, Norwich City and Queens Park Rangers since the start of the 2013/14 campaign. In fairness to the 28-year-old, each strike can undoubtedly be described as beautiful as they have all been a testament to his ability.

Arguably more crucial to the fact he hasn’t nabbed more goals just like them is down to the element of misfortune, or at least that’s how Toffees boss Roberto Martinez recently chose to see it when he described his players’ poor form this season as being “very unfortunate”. Prone to going missing at key periods of the season, he needs to work on sticking away the chances that come his way and muscling into the mix to push himself to the top of the club’s free kick hierarchy.

He’s obviously good enough to step up. We’ll just have to wait and see whether he does or not.

#7 Christian Eriksen

The highest player on our list still plying his trade in the Premier League is...Christian Eriksen.

Edging out the likes of Willian, Yaya Toure and Gylfi Sigurdsson, the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder has shone with some impeccably placed free-kicks since the start of the 2013/14 season. Netting as many as six free-kicks from 42 attempts, the Denmark international has wowed audiences up and down the division.

In particular, who could forget the two beauties he curled home against Swansea before the international break? Helping to earn his team a point away from home, his exquisite touch to guide the ball into the far corner of the net, twice, underlined once again just how deadly he can be.

It didn’t help him earn his country a place in Euro 2016 during their two leg playoff against Sweden, but the fact remains that he is a threat to absolutely any and every defence he squares up to from the 18-35 yard mark in the months and years to come. Not only this, but he is edging close to equalling, and possibly even bettering, Sebastian Larsson’s EPL record of scoring six consecutive direct free kicks, as he stands at the four mark so far.

Will he better it before the year draws to a close?

#6 Zlatko Junuzovic

Not only is he a fan of nutmegs and general displays of skilful shenanigans, but SV Werder Bremen’s Austrian showstopper is also pretty fond of whipping in delightful free kicks.

So far this season, the 28-year-old hasn’t managed to score directly from a dead ball, but his record still stands tall of having converted five times from 35 attempts which earned him the moniker of the “Free Kick King” in the Bundesliga for a time. Indeed, it’s all the more impressive when you realise he scored 100 percent of those in the one season, although it does make you ponder how much of a one-season wonder he might be.

It’s a little surprising that more of Europe’s big clubs haven’t come calling for his services more vigorously as a result of this particular prowess, but his dip in form might explain this to a certain degree. Nevertheless, it’s hard to imagine he wouldn’t be a good weapon to be able to call upon for a few mid-table Premier League clubs, and for a few million quid, that could easily be achieved.

Looking at the way he helped Bremen pick up a few key points last season shows just how crucial he can be at his best.

#5 James Rodriguez

Another Madrid magician making the list is former AS Monaco man James Rodriguez. More than adept at stamping his mark on any given game, the Colombian star has worked hard to push himself higher and higher in people’s esteem.

Indeed, others have made insightful comments on why Ronaldo should be deposed as the club’s go-to free kick delivery man and it’s hard to argue against it to be fair, especially when one sees the way he blasted his only league free kick of the current season past the Real Betis ‘keeper back in August.

Having sprung to fame during the 2014 World Cup with some astonishing displays, the 24-year-old midfielder is quickly abandoning the tag as a player brought in simply to sell shirts. The fact he has been regularly sidelined under Rafa Benitez’s regime has forced many commentators to question whether the Colombian will be able to maintain a spot in the starting XI, although fitness concerns have certainly played their part in these questions.

Rodriguez is one of the team’s best players and could quickly become one of the game’s most clinical free kick connoisseurs if he could only be given more licence to do so.

#4 Steven Gerrard

It’s a testament to the Liverpool legend’s staying power that he features so highly on our list. Now plying his trade with LA Galaxy in MLS, the Merseysider has moved on from his Premier League days, but they continue to follow him around, as they will always do.

The truth is that the 35-year-old is a Reds legend and will always be associated with the club, something evidenced by the fact he has had to dismiss rumours linking him with a return to Anfield in a playing capacity under Jurgen Klopp, as reported by Eurosport International (h/t the Liverpool Echo)

His excellently-placed spot kick in the Merseyside derby back in 2014 goes some way to illuminating just how good at the whole process he truly was. His three goals from 20 attempts leaves him with a 15 percent conversion rate, which is pretty darn impressive.

An icon both on and off the pitch for Liverpool and England, his set-piece precision played a vital role in helping him reach the 120-goal mark in the Premier League and its a real shame to think we’ll probably never see him light up England’s elite league again.

#3 Daniele Conti

He’s not exactly the first name that springs to mind, but with four goals direct from free kicks in the past two seasons, the 36-year-old has a 15.4 per cent conversion rate for Cagliari.

Now 36 years of age, the Italian who once played for the U21 national side, has entered the winter of his career but it’s clear his association with I Rossoblu has been a long, fulfilling and glistening one. Currently a free agent it looks as though retirement could well be beckoning for the ageing midfielder, which is a real pity because we’ll all miss out on his wondrous ability to score scorchers like this one he netted against Torino.

No doubt, the people of Sardinia would love to see the former Cagliari captain play with the same hunger and precision for many more years to come but that’s now an impossibility as he saw his reign with the club come to an end back in May.

Nevertheless, although Conti failed to deliver a Scudetto much like Luigi Riva did in 1970, he can still boast being one of the best free kick takers the club has ever had...and he’s still one of the best in Europe.

Not bad for an old man, eh?

#2 Daniel Wass

Currently on the books at La Liga outfit Celta de Vigo, the unlikely Daniel Wass can boast being the second-best free kick taker in Europe (we’ll reveal who tops the list in our next slide).

So far this season, the 26-year-old midfielder has been one of the club’s most impressive performers. Overshadowed by the likes of Nolito and Iago Aspas, however, he might have only chipped in with two assists and two goals in the league compared to their contribution to 17 goals, but the Denmark international has been productive with his work-rate, understanding and energy around the pitch, all of which have been key to their positive approach.

Surely it’s only a matter of time until he produces another moment of magic like the one he conjured for former club Evian agaisnt Montpellier Herault, in the French Premier Division.

After all, he has notched up six goals from 38 attempts meaning he maintains a 15.8 percent conversion rate, so the chances are that he will soon score again. Fans will need to remain patient, of course, but with some winnable contests against Real Betis and Almeria on the horizon, Wass will have plenty of opportunities to build on his impressive haul of goals to date.

Watch this space, people.

#1 Miralem Pjanic

Finally we have made it to our no. 1 spot, and look who it is...Miralem Pjanic.

Boasting a conversion rate of 18.4 percent, the Bosnia & Herzegovina midfielder stands a country mile ahead of his competitors thanks to some real sharp-shooting over the past couple of seasons.

Unfortunately, the 25-year-old was unable to conjure any dead-ball magic to help his country over the line against the Republic of Ireland in November, so we won’t see him light up Euro 2016 next summer, but there’s little doubting that he will continue to produce the goods for AS Roma in the coming months as they look to mount a Serie A title challenge.

Because when he can score goals like the incredible one he pocketed against Empoli this season, well...he can do anything against any keeper given the opportunity.

With seven direct free kick goals to his name from 38 attempts, he has the second-highest number of goals on our list, but it’s his regularity, as well as his accuracy, that really catches the eye. Simply put, while there will be plenty of cynics out there disputing Panic’s status as the best free kick taker in Europe, an easier pill for them to swallow would be to suggest that he is by far the least wasteful.

Surely, that’s exactly the type of quality every team wants when their player stands over a ball in the dying embers of a crucial game with the scores level. Would you really want anyone else?

Honourable Mentions

Yes, there was no room for Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi or Zlatan Ibrahimovic amongst the best free kick marksmen in Europe.

Yours truly is as shocked as anybody, but again a quick look at the all-important statistics makes it that bit easier to understand, or at least deal with.

Madrid fans will be happy to know that Ronaldo fared best amongst this particular trio as he has scored five from 73 attempts leaving him with a 6.8 percent conversion rate. Messi is next with four from 70, and King Zlatan comes in last with three from 61, just 0.8 percent better than Johannes Geis.

Another absent name that plenty of people will be mystified by is Memphis Depay. It’s well documented just how clinical he was before his transfer to Manchester United, so how come he doesn’t feature. Frankly it comes down to the league he played in. Because all of these stats are based on Europe’s top five leagues, Depay’s exploits occured in the Dutch Eredivisie which don’t quite cut the mustard, all truth be told.

Despite this, his seven strikes in the 2014/15 season certainly deserve a mention and when he does eventually get selected by LVG again, he should sky-rocket up the ranks in double-quick time.