Free-kicks feel rarer these days, but a few specialists still shape matches with a dead ball. Here are the definitive leaders, what the numbers say about trends, and the active names to watch.
All-time direct free-kick leaders
Direct free-kick goals in the Premier League, all time.
Counts are Opta’s Premier League records for goals scored directly from a free-kick, updated in May 2025.
| Rank | Player | Direct FK goals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Beckham | 18 |
| 2 | James Ward-Prowse | 17 |
| =3 | Thierry Henry | 12 |
| =3 | Gianfranco Zola | 12 |
| =3 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 12 |
| =6 | Laurent Robert | 11 |
| =6 | Sebastian Larsson | 11 |
| =8 | Ian Harte | 10 |
| =8 | Morten Gamst Pedersen | 10 |
| =10 | Nolberto Solano | 9 |
| =10 | Frank Lampard | 9 |
| =10 | Jamie Redknapp | 9 |
| =10 | James Maddison | 9 |
Source: Opta Analyst. Ward-Prowse sits one behind Beckham as of May 20, 2025. Opta Analyst
A few nuggets behind the leaderboard
- Single-season record: Five direct free-kicks in a season, jointly held by David Beckham (2000-01) and Laurent Robert (2001-02). Opta Analyst
- Away-day specialist: James Ward-Prowse has scored 13 of his 17 direct PL free-kicks away from home, most in competition history and two more than Beckham’s away tally. Opta Analyst
- Set-piece reliance: Ian Harte scored 10 of his 28 PL goals from direct free-kicks, and Morten Gamst Pedersen scored 10 of 34 that way. That is an unusually high share for both. Opta Analyst
Are free-kick goals actually disappearing?
Short answer: the long-term trend is down.
- 2000-10: 321 direct free-kick goals, about 32.1 per season.
- 2010-20: 272, about 27.2 per season.
- Since 2020-21: only 59 through 2023-24, about 14.7 per season.
Opta points to fewer final-third free-kicks, fewer shots taken directly, and slightly closer average distance to goal despite the decline in success. Opta Analyst
In 2023-24, by May 11 there were only nine direct free-kick goals in the league, with an average shot quality of 0.06 xG per attempt, and Manchester City led the way with three. Opta Analyst
Who are the best active takers right now?
Recent Opta breakdowns of 2023-24 attempts show the current pecking order by volume and efficiency.
- Volume: James Ward-Prowse took 15 of West Ham’s 16 direct free-kick shots that season, but none went in. Bruno Fernandes took 11 for Manchester United. Julián Álvarez took 13 for Manchester City. Eberechi Eze took 12 for Crystal Palace. Opta Analyst
- Conversion in 2023-24: Phil Foden scored 2 of 3 direct free-kicks. City’s other goals came from Álvarez and one from Trent Alexander-Arnold for Liverpool. Opta Analyst
Read on the official PL site: background feature on the decline in direct free-kicks and which players were taking them most often in 2023-24. Premier League