Being able to score from dead-ball is an art in football, very few players are capable of mastering this skill. Scoring from set-piece really helps the team, because at average in a football game each team win about at least four to five free kicks, at least one being within scoring opportunity.
Importance of Dead-Ball In Football
If the art of free-kick is mastered, the probability of staying goalless in that game becomes almost zero. The importance of free-kicks is pretty evident in teams that achieve long-term success in Europe. A recent example is the UEFA Champions League quarter-final game between Arsenal and Real Madrid (1st leg). In this game, Arsenal were the clear better team, but were just lacking in finding the net due to Courtois’ presence in goal. Later in the tie, Arsenal won two free-kicks and both were netted perfectly by Declan Rice. This didn’t just give Arsenal the lead, it crushed the opposition’s confidence, which helped Arsenal score the third.
Barcelona and Free-Kicks
For years, when Barcelona won a free-kick whether in a scoring range or just beyond it, there was a quiet surety in the stadium. The whole stadium would pause, thousands of phones would raise to record the excellence of one man: Lionel Messi.
Whether the shot was a curling one away from the wall or a cheeky finish beneath the wall, Messi converted a dead-ball situation into penalties. He didn’t just take advantage of the free-kicks; he made them look so effortless. At Barcelona, he was one of the most feared set-piece specialists in world football, instigating a sense of fear among world-class goalkeepers. His free-kick against Liverpool will always be part of the history books. The free-kicks shifted the momentum of the game, unlocked fully compact defenses, and snatched clutch victories from impossible situations. But ever since Messi departed from Barcelona, the situation with dead balls at the club hasn’t been the same.
Since Messi’s heart-breaking departure, Barcelona have went nearly 100 matches without scoring from a direct free-kick. Barça had waited over two years to score from a direct free-kick, this drought was ended by Ferran Torres back in 2023 against Betis. Free-kick was a lethal weapon which Barcelona had, they had to start from scratch.
Could Lamine be the next free-kick master at Camp Nou?
While players including Lewandowski, Ferran, and Raphinha have stepped up to take on free-kicks, none of them have consistently had a shot on target above the wall. Whenever Barcelona gets a free-kick, Lamine Yamal remains silent. And I couldn’t remember the last time when Lamine stepped up to take a direct free-kick. Out of all the players mentioned above who step up for the set-piece, I think Lamine has the most flair out of them all. In case of Raphinha and Lewandowski stepping up each game, we’ve never seen them scoring an outrageous curler in open play. It’s just not their niche, whereas Lamine the case is different.
In the last few games of the season against Madrid, Espanyol, and Villareal, Lamine scored in all three games. These were not ordinary tap-in finishes, they were top-class curlers that were aimed at the top and bottom left side of the goal. Most importantly, how can we all forget Lamine’s goal against France, it was a pure beauty which can only be reproduce by him. This hints at Lamine’s ability to curl a ball in perfect trajectory.
We have seen him showing off his curling ability in training videos, but have never seen him take any in the game. In my opinion, Lamine can be the next choice, he has the technique, composure, and most importantly, the fearlessness to try. This season, we have noticed Lamine tries new things in every game; he should be considered to take on this responsibility as well. For a team that struggles to take advantage of dead-ball can try new options until it is perfected.
At a club like Barcelona, the margins are thin. In European games, late set-pieces can be pivotal. In La Liga race, they can easily turn one point into three. Lamine has already shown confidence when on the ball despite being surrounded by senior players, his sense of fearlessness makes him unique, I believe he can be good for us. Another important fact is that when Messi was young, he wasn’t the main free-kick taker. Over the years, he perfected his art and then took on the full responsibility. There is no such pressure on Lamine to take all the free-kicks, but he can practice over the years and can later on take on the full responsibility.
So the question is — in the next season, under Hansi Flick, can Lamine become the next iconic free-kick taker? For me the ranking should be 1) Lamine, 2) Raphinha, 3) Ferran.