Premier League most free kick goals record: James Ward-Prowse set to break David Beckham all-time mark
Few players in Premier League history have had the ability to consistently score from direct free kicks.
One of them is current Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse, who after another 30-yard strike against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge moved up to second in the Premier League all-time scorer list through set pieces.
His 17 free-kick goals to date come from an eight-year career in the English Premier League and now he needs just one to equal David Beckham’s record of 18.
The Sporting News summarizes everything you need to know about record chasing and what makes Ward-Prowse so effective on dead balls.
MORE: Premier League goals record set to fall in 2023 too
Who has scored the most free-kick goals in the Premier League?
Former Manchester United star David Beckham currently holds the record for the most direct free-kicks in Premier League history.
In his glittering career with the Red Devils, Beckham netted 18 free-kicks that helped his side win six top-flight English titles while he was at the club.
After scoring against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on February 18, 28-year-old Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse is just one more such goal to equal the record.
| player | free kick goals |
| David Beckham | 18 |
| James Ward-Prowse | 17 |
| Thierry Henry | 12 |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | 12 |
| Gianfranco Zola | 12 |
| Laurent Robert | 11 |
| Sebastian Larson | 11 |
| Morten Gamst Pedersen | 10 |
| Jan Harte | 10 |
| Frank Lampard | 9 |
| Nolberto Solano | 9 |
| Jamie Redknapp | 9 |
Why James Ward-Prowse is good at free kicks
Since scoring his first free-kick for Southampton in the 3-0 win against West Brom in January 2016, James Ward-Prowse has become one of the deadliest players from direct set pieces. In January 2022, Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola called him the “best free-kick taker in the world”.
“Southampton have the best free-kick taker I’ve ever seen, or at least he’s alive right now,” said Guardiola. “He’s so good that you might miss the footballer a bit. He is a team player of great quality, off the ball and with the ball.”
The man who calls David Beckham his idol – he says he would try to emulate him in his family’s garden and wore some of his hairstyles – Ward-Prowse is known for his sweeping technique, which sees the ball in the air from right to left swings left . The midfielder lends a certain whiplash to his efforts, transferring the energy of a quick run-up into his shot attempt.
“It’s good for me to know that you can perfect any skill in life if you work hard at it,” Ward-Prowse told BBC Match of the Day after scoring his last goal at Chelsea. “As a child I used to do this in my parents’ garden, it was a dream of mine.”
What might surprise many is that Ward-Prowse doesn’t practice free kicks all week.
“In the beginning I was taking 12 to 14 – not every day, but twice a week. Now I’m more of a six to eight, just once a week to try and put the pressure back on a game,” he told The Independent in March 2022. “I wouldn’t end up with a good one, I’d just take six and that’s it my six. I want to recreate that game-like pressure.”
A total of 13 of his 17 Premier League free-kick goals have come from abroad, including his last eight in a row. He also scored two goals in the same game at Aston Villa in November 2020.
James Ward-Prowse free-kick goals in the Premier League
| Date | Opponent |
| January 16, 2016 | against West Brom |
| February 3, 2018 | in West Brom |
| March 2, 2019 | at Manchester United |
| March 9, 2019 | against Tottenham |
| November 30, 2019 | against Watford |
| June 28, 2020 | at Watford |
| November 1, 2020 | at the Aston villa |
| November 1, 2020 | at the Aston villa |
| November 29, 2020 | against Manchester United |
| February 6, 2021 | at Newcastle |
| December 15, 2021 | in the Crystal Palace |
| January 15, 2022 | at wolves |
| April 2, 2022 | at Leeds United |
| April 24, 2022 | in Brighton |
| December 31, 2022 | at Fulham |
| January 14, 2023 | at Everton |
| February 18, 2023 | at Chelsea |
Who are the best free kick takers in the world?
Although Ward-Prowse is certainly high on the list when it comes to the best free-kick takers in the world right now, Argentinian star Lionel Messi could steal the crown.
Because since the 2006/07 campaign Messi has scored 41 direct free-kick goals – the most of any player in the top five leagues in Europe and significantly more than rival Cristiano Ronaldo in second place on this list (31).
His last time came in dramatic circumstances for PSG against Lille in Ligue 1. With play on the line, Messi stepped up to roll home a brilliant free-kick in the last minute to take the three points for his side in a great 4-3 win.