The Football Faithful
·8 Juni 2026
The players with the most free-kick goals in World Cup history

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Yahoo sportsThe Football Faithful
·8 Juni 2026

Free-kicks are an art form in football with technique, power, and placement all required to score set-piece strikes. Across the entire history of the FIFA World Cup, only three players have scored multiple free-kicks at the tournament.
A key component of Brazil’s victorious 1970 side, a team often regarded as the greatest side in World Cup history. The South Americans conquered the world stage for a third time in Mexico, with Rivellino scoring three times throughout the tournament.
A stunning set-piece against Czechslovakia earned Rivellino the nickname “Patada Atómica” (Atomic Kick) by Mexican fans.
Bernard Genghini scored six goals for France, including two free-kicks at the 1982 World Cup. He netted set pieces against Kuwait and Austria, as France reached the semi-finals.
He later formed part of the team that won the 19084 European Championship on home soil, securing Les Bleus’ first-ever major tournament.
David Beckham’s brand was largely built on his ability to score stunning goals, with the film ‘Bend it like Beckham’ even becoming a pop-culture hit in the early noughties.
In 1998, the midfielder’s magnificent effort helped the Three Lions past Colombia and into the knockout stages, though his tournament ended in disaster after a costly red card in the last-16 exit to Argentina.
After a remarkable redemption arc, Beckham captained England to the 2002 and 2006 finals, memorably scoring a stunning free-kick against Greece to seal qualification to the former finals.
During the latter tournament, he scored the decisive goal from a free-kick as England edged out Ecuador 1-0 in the Round of 16.
See more – The biggest wins in FIFA World Cup history







































