In our final bit of pre-deadline content for the FIFA Club World Cup Fantasy game (don’t worry, FPL will be back soon…), we take a closer look at direct free-kick takers.
Set-piece takers tend to appeal to Fantasy managers, which is why we’ve put together a list of penalty and corner takers.
But there’s an extra incentive to spend more time focusing on direct free-kick takers.
Why? Because of this feature of the Club World Cup Fantasy scoring system:
We should point out that free-kick conversion rates are generally low. As an example, just 4.85% of the direct free-kick shots taken in the Premier League this season resulted in goals. We’ll probably only see a handful in the States this summer.
But without further ado, let’s try and put together an outfield squad of players likeliest to achieve that feat.
SQUAD
DEFENDERS
- Federico Dimarco ($5.8m) took more free-kicks than any other Inter player this season, while his nearest rival, Hakan Calhanoglu, is currently nursing an injury.
- Leo Pereira ($4.9m) took three free-kicks for Flamengo in the 2024 campaign, scoring this fine effort.
- Achraf Hakimi‘s ($6.5m) five direct free-kick attempts were the most of any PSG player in Ligue I last season.
- Alex Telles ($5.1m), who is also on penalties, has taken four of Botafogo’s five free-kicks in 2025.
- Reece James ($5.8m) likely would have taken much more than three free-kicks in 2024/25 had he been fit more often. One of them resulted in a superb goal against Bournemouth, while he also scored for England in March.
MIDFIELDERS
- Federico Valverde ($7.5m) is just one of a number of players at Real who is more than competent from free-kick situations. Trent Alexander-Arnold ($6.4m) is now added to the mix, too. Valverde’s five efforts were the most of any Real Madrid player in La Liga in 2024/25, however.
- Michael Olise ($9.4m) would often have to tussle with Eberechi Eze for a shot at free-kicks at Crystal Palace, and so it is with Harry Kane ($11.0m) at Bayern. However, Olise’s eight efforts in the Bundesliga wasn’t matched by any of his teammates.
- Franco Mastantuono ($4.3m) is a real budget gem in Club World Cup Fantasy, and the Madrid-bound midfielder has direct free-kicks in his repertoire. Check out this goal in the Superclasico two months ago.
- Julian Brandt ($6.5m) took six of Dortmund’s nine direct free-kicks in the 2024/25 Bundesliga, including this humdinger against Freiburg.
- Orkun Kökçü ($6.6m) took more direct free-kicks (14) in the league than anyone in this piece last season. There was also this fine strike in the Champions League.
FORWARDS
- Omar Marmoush ($8.0m) has taken seven Premier League free-kicks since arriving in the winter, and now doesn’t have Kevin De Bruyne to contend with. He’s scored a free-kick for Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League not long before arriving.
- Lionel Messi ($10.5m) doesn’t need much introduction: he’s third in the all-time direct free-kick goals table. No surprise that he’s Inter Miami’s primary dead-ball specialist.
- Julian Alvarez ($9.0m) took five free-kick shots in La Liga last season, including this beauty just last month.
READ MORE OF OUR FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP FANTASY 2025 CONTENT
GROUP A: Palmeiras | Porto | Al Ahly | Inter Miami
GROUP B: PSG | Atletico Madrid | Botafogo | Seattle Sounders
GROUP C: Bayern Munich | Auckland City | Boca Juniors | Benfica
GROUP D: Flamengo | ES Tunis | Chelsea | Los Angeles FC
GROUP E: River Plate | Urawa Red Diamonds | Monterrey | Inter Milan
GROUP F: Fluminense | Borussia Dortmund | Ulsan HD | Mamelodi Sundowns
GROUP G: Manchester City | Wydad Casablanca | Al Ain | Juventus
GROUP H: Real Madrid | Al Hilal | Pachuca | Red Bull Salzburg
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