As last night proved - a free kick is a wonderful thing, so as a form of celebration, i've compiled this definitive* top 10 list of the best free kicks in Manchester United history**
Enjoy.
*In the sense that I created this list on a post-it-note this morning whilst on a call
** Since football began in 1992.
10 - Juan Mata vs. Southampton
Whilst the overall success of his time at Manchester United is up for debate, what can never be disputed is Juan Mata's ability over a free kick - and specifically, a free kick that is right on the edge of the area. Yes, the position that is often deemed "too close" for most free kick takers is actually the area that Mata specialises in, which is a pretty impressive skill to have in your locker when you think about it.
His two best for United came against Leicester and Southampton - and it's the Southampton one that comes in at number 10, just for the beautiful technique on show... to get the ball that high over the wall and still have it land perfectly in the top corner... brilliant
9 - Rooney vs. Man City
An absolute pearler from our Wayne that we all like to forget about because it came in a game we lost 4-1 against City. However, this list doesn't show prejudice to situation, just to the magnificence of the kick, and what a free kick this is. Fully 25+ yards he bends and ludicrous strike right into the top corner... it does get marked down a bit because Joe Hart gets his ugly hand to it, thus ruining the aesthetics a tiny bit... yet another thing Joe Hart tries to ruin aye.
8- Beckham vs. Aston Villa
The thing about Beckham is, most of his free kicks are the same, and by the same, I mean inch perfect into the top or bottom corner... so its challenging to set some apart from the others. This one however does stand out because some moron in the Villa coaching staff decided that with Beckham being so good at free kicks, its probably better to not have a wall at all... Which is sort of like saying Messi is dead good at dribbling, so lets not bother even attempting to tackle him.
But yeah, even without a wall, Beckham still plants it right in the top corner on the goalkeepers side... 'cos why not?
7- Cantona vs. Arsenal
United don't really do the lay off Free Kicks... Rooney hilariously did it twice in the same game against an incompetent Arsenal side who literally couldn't close down a shifted free kick that was then scored by the original free kick taker (thus giving Youngy the best two assists of his life)... but that apart, there aren't many that really come to mind.
Maybe it's because shifted free kicks make it harder due to competent (i.e non-Arsenal) teams actually closing you down, or maybe it's because Cantona did it once about 25 years ago and everyone figured there's no point trying to better it. There is trick to such a free kick, and that trick is to hit the ball really, really, really hard... which I think Eric just about achieved here.
6 - Irwin vs. Crystal Palace
Speaking off twating a ball really really hard, hello Mr. Irwin. Here's a man who was so good a footballer, he could play left back, right back, be the penalty taker (and never miss) assist goals, score them himself and take brilliant free kicks. Now usually Irwin liked to bend them... but here, Irwin just decides to hammer it - right into the top corner.
5 - Beckham vs. West Ham
As I said before, it's difficult to really set Beckham's free-kicks apart from each other... as they're all bloody excellent. So I had to narrow it down to the truly aesthetically perfect ones - i.e the ones that go in off the bar (Everyone loves a goal that goes in off the bar). Beckham of course being the (beautiful) man that is he managed to take a number of free kicks that went in off the stanchion... Liverpool, Madrid, Fulham... all belters, but I'll put this strike against West Ham as his number one - because it's further out.
Thing is of course that Beckham's best free kick during his time at United actually came for England vs. Greece... Wonder where that would rank if it were eligible? But it's not eligible because the people in charge of this very official list say it isn't, so there.
You can't embed timestamps so click here
Now do yourself a favour and just watch his top 10...
4 - Ronaldo vs. Sunderland
Now were in Ronaldo territory, and for all the shit Ronaldo gets about his free kicks these days, he actually took a number of incredible free kicks for us. Even before he hit his Portsmouth worldie (coming up) he had already smashed in ludicrious free kicks against Fulham (a ludicrious shot that should probably be in this list) and a previous meeting against Portsmouth (he must hate the South Coast).
This Sunderland one is a bit Portsmouth-lite... which still roughly makes it one of the best free kicks you're likely to see.
3. Rooney vs. Stoke
Is this controversial? No, because I say it isn't. Wayne Rooney's record breaking free kick is ridiculous... even if you forget about the record, or the fact that it was the last kick of the game (which for the purpose of this list, we are) it's an immaculate hit. Free Kicks from the side of the box look great - Ronaldo hit a smasher against Blackburn that stands out - but you really won't see a better one then Rooney's here. He's got swerve on it, he's got dip on it, he's hit it really feckin' hard, and it is inch perfect from a position that is incredibly different to score from... and it is rightfully in the top 3.
2. Ronaldo vs. World XI / Ronaldo vs. Portsmouth.
Ok so this is cheating, because the World XI game is a friendly, so thus shouldn't matter. However, I argue that the beauty of a Free Kick is that it is the same, regardless of the game or the opposition. You have a dead ball, you have a wall, and if you hit it perfectly it would be a goal regardless of the game you're in... and boy did Ronaldo hit that one perfectly. It's basically an even better verison of his legendary Portsmouth free kick, which is already one of the best free kicks ever taken.
Too bad it was in a fecking friendly aye? So yeh, really it doesn't count and Ronaldo vs. Portsmouth is the obvious second place... though don't you wish it did?
1. Marcus Rashford vs. Chelsea
Recency bias be damned. Just look at it.... seriously LOOK AT IT.
Now look at it again.
And again.
Enjoy.
*In the sense that I created this list on a post-it-note this morning whilst on a call
** Since football began in 1992.
10 - Juan Mata vs. Southampton
Whilst the overall success of his time at Manchester United is up for debate, what can never be disputed is Juan Mata's ability over a free kick - and specifically, a free kick that is right on the edge of the area. Yes, the position that is often deemed "too close" for most free kick takers is actually the area that Mata specialises in, which is a pretty impressive skill to have in your locker when you think about it.
His two best for United came against Leicester and Southampton - and it's the Southampton one that comes in at number 10, just for the beautiful technique on show... to get the ball that high over the wall and still have it land perfectly in the top corner... brilliant
9 - Rooney vs. Man City
An absolute pearler from our Wayne that we all like to forget about because it came in a game we lost 4-1 against City. However, this list doesn't show prejudice to situation, just to the magnificence of the kick, and what a free kick this is. Fully 25+ yards he bends and ludicrous strike right into the top corner... it does get marked down a bit because Joe Hart gets his ugly hand to it, thus ruining the aesthetics a tiny bit... yet another thing Joe Hart tries to ruin aye.
8- Beckham vs. Aston Villa
The thing about Beckham is, most of his free kicks are the same, and by the same, I mean inch perfect into the top or bottom corner... so its challenging to set some apart from the others. This one however does stand out because some moron in the Villa coaching staff decided that with Beckham being so good at free kicks, its probably better to not have a wall at all... Which is sort of like saying Messi is dead good at dribbling, so lets not bother even attempting to tackle him.
But yeah, even without a wall, Beckham still plants it right in the top corner on the goalkeepers side... 'cos why not?
7- Cantona vs. Arsenal
United don't really do the lay off Free Kicks... Rooney hilariously did it twice in the same game against an incompetent Arsenal side who literally couldn't close down a shifted free kick that was then scored by the original free kick taker (thus giving Youngy the best two assists of his life)... but that apart, there aren't many that really come to mind.
Maybe it's because shifted free kicks make it harder due to competent (i.e non-Arsenal) teams actually closing you down, or maybe it's because Cantona did it once about 25 years ago and everyone figured there's no point trying to better it. There is trick to such a free kick, and that trick is to hit the ball really, really, really hard... which I think Eric just about achieved here.
6 - Irwin vs. Crystal Palace
Speaking off twating a ball really really hard, hello Mr. Irwin. Here's a man who was so good a footballer, he could play left back, right back, be the penalty taker (and never miss) assist goals, score them himself and take brilliant free kicks. Now usually Irwin liked to bend them... but here, Irwin just decides to hammer it - right into the top corner.
5 - Beckham vs. West Ham
As I said before, it's difficult to really set Beckham's free-kicks apart from each other... as they're all bloody excellent. So I had to narrow it down to the truly aesthetically perfect ones - i.e the ones that go in off the bar (Everyone loves a goal that goes in off the bar). Beckham of course being the (beautiful) man that is he managed to take a number of free kicks that went in off the stanchion... Liverpool, Madrid, Fulham... all belters, but I'll put this strike against West Ham as his number one - because it's further out.
Thing is of course that Beckham's best free kick during his time at United actually came for England vs. Greece... Wonder where that would rank if it were eligible? But it's not eligible because the people in charge of this very official list say it isn't, so there.
You can't embed timestamps so click here
Now do yourself a favour and just watch his top 10...
4 - Ronaldo vs. Sunderland
Now were in Ronaldo territory, and for all the shit Ronaldo gets about his free kicks these days, he actually took a number of incredible free kicks for us. Even before he hit his Portsmouth worldie (coming up) he had already smashed in ludicrious free kicks against Fulham (a ludicrious shot that should probably be in this list) and a previous meeting against Portsmouth (he must hate the South Coast).
This Sunderland one is a bit Portsmouth-lite... which still roughly makes it one of the best free kicks you're likely to see.
3. Rooney vs. Stoke
Is this controversial? No, because I say it isn't. Wayne Rooney's record breaking free kick is ridiculous... even if you forget about the record, or the fact that it was the last kick of the game (which for the purpose of this list, we are) it's an immaculate hit. Free Kicks from the side of the box look great - Ronaldo hit a smasher against Blackburn that stands out - but you really won't see a better one then Rooney's here. He's got swerve on it, he's got dip on it, he's hit it really feckin' hard, and it is inch perfect from a position that is incredibly different to score from... and it is rightfully in the top 3.
2. Ronaldo vs. World XI / Ronaldo vs. Portsmouth.
Ok so this is cheating, because the World XI game is a friendly, so thus shouldn't matter. However, I argue that the beauty of a Free Kick is that it is the same, regardless of the game or the opposition. You have a dead ball, you have a wall, and if you hit it perfectly it would be a goal regardless of the game you're in... and boy did Ronaldo hit that one perfectly. It's basically an even better verison of his legendary Portsmouth free kick, which is already one of the best free kicks ever taken.
Too bad it was in a fecking friendly aye? So yeh, really it doesn't count and Ronaldo vs. Portsmouth is the obvious second place... though don't you wish it did?
1. Marcus Rashford vs. Chelsea
Recency bias be damned. Just look at it.... seriously LOOK AT IT.
Now look at it again.
And again.
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