Think of the best free-kick takers, and a few obvious names come to mind.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo would top most fans’ lists, while players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Neymar would most likely feature. Christian Eriksen has gained a reputation as one of the best in the Premier League as well.
Yet none of these players are among Europe’s best. According to a Squawka list compiled based on free-kick conversion rate (goals scored versus shots taken) over the last five years, the names mentioned above aren’t even in the top 20.
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