Hey friend! If you‘re an avid FIFA player like me, you know how crucial it is to have players who can score from free kicks. These set pieces create great scoring chances and some players specialize at banging them in the net.
But who are the very best free kick takers in FIFA 23 that you want on your Ultimate Team? In this guide, I‘ll share the players with the top free kick stats and abilities. I‘ll also give tips to help you master free kicks based on my experience. Let‘s dive in!
Free Kicks – A Quick Primer
For anyone new to soccer games, let‘s first cover the basics of free kicks in FIFA:
Awarded when the opposing team commits a foul outside the box
Two types:
Direct – can shoot straight at goal
Indirect – must touch another player first
Use the shoot button and aim with the left stick
Add curl or spin by moving the right stick
Goal is to bend the ball past the wall and keeper
High attributes like free kick accuracy, curve, and shot power matter
Now that you know the fundamentals, let‘s look at the key stats for the players who excel at free kicks in FIFA 23.
The Top 10 Free Kick Specialists
After poring over the player ratings and attributes, these guys stand out as the very best for free kicks and set pieces:
1. James Ward-Prowse
Position: RM
Team: Southampton
Free Kick Accuracy: 94
Curve: 89
Shot Power: 83
Saint midfielder James Ward-Prowse is arguably the #1 set piece taker in FIFA 23. With his astounding 94 free kick accuracy and 89 curve, he can whip balls into the upper 90s with ease. Ward-Prowse strikes free kicks with precision and optimal power. He‘s especially dangerous from inside 35 yards.
2. Lionel Messi
Position: RW
Team: PSG
Free Kick Accuracy: 93
Curve: 94
Shot Power: 86
The legendary Lionel Messi comes in at #2. With his iconic left foot and flawless technique, Messi‘s free kicks are mesmerizing. He can fire lasers into the side netting or float dips over the wall using his 93 accuracy and 94 curve. Watching virtual Messi take free kicks mirrors the experience of his genius in real life.
3. Dani Parejo
Position: CM
Team: Villarreal CF
Free Kick Accuracy: 90
Curve: 89
Shot Power: 81
Greater than Messi in pure free kick accuracy is Spanish veteran Dani Parejo. While not a power shooter, Parejo uses his tremendous 90 free kick accuracy and 89 curve to routinely pick out the upper corners from 25-35 yards. He‘s automatic from the left edge of the box.
4. Aleksandar Kolarov
Position: LB
Team: Inter Milan
Free Kick Accuracy: 88
Curve: 78
Shot Power: 90
Serbian fullback Aleksandar Kolarov unleashes absolute rockets from his left boot. With 88 free kick accuracy and a blistering 90 shot power, Kolarov consistently pulverizes the ball into the roof of the net. His power gives keepers no chance to react. Kolarov should take any free kicks within 40 yards.
5. Miralem Pjanic
Position: CM
Team: Sharjah FC
Free Kick Accuracy: 88
Curve: 90
Shot Power: 78
Underused but deadly, Miralem Pjanic has a complete free kicking repertoire. The midfielder can whip balls over the wall or clip short passes to open teammates. His 88 accuracy and 90 curve let him thread needles on set pieces. Give Pjanic a crack from 25 yards out and he‘ll deliver.
6. Memphis Depay
Position: CF
Team: Barcelona
Free Kick Accuracy: 88
Curve: 89
Shot Power: 82
Memphis Depay loves free kicks – he‘s scored over 20 free kick goals for Lyon and Barcelona. With 88 accuracy and 89 curve, Depay consistently finds the corners from any angle. He‘s adept at getting up and over the wall or bending around it. Depay should take most free kicks within 40 yards.
7. Hakan Calhanoglu
Position: CAM
Team: Inter Milan
Free Kick Accuracy: 88
Curve: 87
Shot Power: 82
A lefty specialist, Hakan Calhanoglu has a knack for the top corners on free kicks. Using his 88 accuracy and 87 curve, Calhanoglu sneaks free kicks just inside the posts where keepers can‘t reach. He disguises his shots expertly – Calhanoglu rarely misses from 30 yards and in.
8. Marco Reus
Position: LW
Team: Borussia Dortmund
Free Kick Accuracy: 88
Curve: 86
Shot Power: 82
Marco Reus provides pinpoint service on set pieces thanks to his 88 free kick accuracy. He can stab free kicks into the side netting by imparting wicked slice or hook spin on the ball. Reus uses intelligence and precision over brute power. Feed him free kicks from 25-35 yards out.
9. Cristiano Ronaldo
Position: ST
Team: Manchester United
Free Kick Accuracy: 89
Curve: 81
Shot Power: 94
No free kick discussion is complete without Cristiano Ronaldo. While CR7 has missed some famous free kicks lately, he remains devastating in FIFA 23. Ronaldo blasts the ball with superhuman power using his 89 accuracy and 94 shot power. He simply overwhelms keepers from 35 yards and in.
10. Jorginho
Position: CDM
Team: Chelsea
Free Kick Accuracy: 88
Curve: 78
Shot Power: 74
While not a lethal power shooter, Jorginho is surgical from free kicks inside 30 yards. The Italian veteran uses his 88 accuracy to chip the ball perfectly into the upper 90s. Keepers can‘t react quickly enough to his delicate shots. Jorginho is also automatic on penalties.
As you can see, free kick maestros like Messi and Ronaldo still reign supreme. But the data shows that dead ball specialists like Ward-Prowse, Parejo, and Pjanic are equally dangerous, if not more accurate from certain areas.
Tips to Score More Free Kicks
Now let‘s get into some tips and tricks to help you bury more free kicks, based on my experience:
Use players with 90+ FK accuracy – Having someone like Pjanic or Parejo makes a huge difference
Aim for the corners – Finesse shots to the upper 90s instead of blasting
Put curve/spin on the ball – Bend your shots around the keeper
Disguise your efforts – Vary corner targets and types of spin and curl
Time the shot meter perfectly – A smooth strike is better than lashing out
Practice from range – Hone your skills from 25, 35, 45 yards in the Arena
Learn the outside curl – Curl the ball around the outside of the wall
Use walls wisely – Position walls to your advantage or lay down players
Mastering the technique and developing a repetoire of free kick types will help you convert more chances in FIFA 23. With practice, you‘ll be able to score outrageous dipping shots like Juninho or Ronaldo.
Statistical Comparison of the Top Free Kick Takers
To further compare the best free kick takers in FIFA 23, let‘s examine some key statistics and metrics:
Player | FK Acc. | Curve | Shot Power | Goals | Assists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ward-Prowse | 94 | 89 | 83 | 13 | 7 |
Messi | 93 | 94 | 86 | 59 | 29 |
Parejo | 90 | 89 | 81 | 7 | 2 |
Kolarov | 88 | 78 | 90 | 11 | 4 |
Pjanic | 88 | 90 | 78 | 18 | 9 |
Depay | 88 | 89 | 82 | 21 | 6 |
Calhanoglu | 88 | 87 | 82 | 12 | 3 |
Reus | 88 | 86 | 82 | 14 | 5 |
Ronaldo | 89 | 81 | 94 | 68 | 22 |
Jorginho | 88 | 78 | 74 | 9 | 4 |
The numbers confirm Messi and Ronaldo‘s dominance – they provide a high volume of goals and assists off free kicks for their clubs and country (these stats are based on their real life production).
But at the same time, we see Parejo matching Messi in pure accuracy, while Ward-Prowse edges even Messi. Kolarov‘s rocket left foot has produced the most goals outside the big two. And Pjanic‘s delivery results in loads of assists.
So while Messi and Ronaldo deserve their lofty free kick ratings, make sure to use the specialists like Ward-Prowse and Parejo to maximize certain situations and distances. The numbers don‘t lie!
Free Kick Kings Throughout History
Let‘s expand our view beyond FIFA 23 and look at some of the greatest free kick takers of all time from football history:
Juninho Pernambucano
The Brazilian maestro scored over 100 free kicks in his career, many from absurd distances and angles. He could make the ball move in ways that defied physics. Juninho remains the free kick GOAT.
David Beckham
Beckham‘s pinpoint accuracy and trademark bending technique made him a dead ball legend. His delivery from the right flank was so consistent that teams would foul players on purpose near their own box.
Lionel Messi
As we‘ve seen in FIFA, Messi‘s mastery translates to real life as well. The way he makes the ball dip, curl, and spin is mesmerizing. And he rarely misses the target. A once-in-a-generation talent.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Like Messi, Ronaldo‘s free kick greatness has carried over from the virtual pitch. The power and precision he generates from absurd distances is mind-boggling. His rocket shots terrify keepers worldwide.
Diego Maradona
The legendary Argentinian genius scored over 60 free kick goals. He could either blast the ball with violence or caress it gently into the corner. Maradona‘s creativity and technique was unrivaled.
Ronaldinho
In his Barcelona prime, Ronaldinho scored some of the most outrageous free kicks ever seen. His odd spinning shots would start wide before somehow curving into the net. Unhittable when he was on.
So while Messi and Ronaldo are still banging in free kicks today, the legends of the past like Juninho, Beckham, and Maradona will always be the foundation of free kick excellence.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, free kicks are an integral part of attacking play in FIFA 23. They offer golden opportunities to score from dead ball situations.
Using players with high free kick attributes like Parejo, Pjanic, and Calhanoglu gives you an instant advantage. But practice also makes perfect – spend time in the Arena mastering technique from various spots on the pitch. Learn how to dip, curl, and spin the ball around the wall or over it.
At the end of the day, icons like Ward-Prowse, Messi, and Ronaldo provide almost guaranteed goals from free kicks and set pieces. They are complete dead ball artists.
So work on your free kicking game in FIFA 23. And let me know which players you think are the greatest specialists – either in real football or the virtual pitch!