Free-Kick Technique in Soccer

44 free videos on drills and tips, each tagged by level

What coaches agree on

  • Aim just above the wall rather than at the goal - since the wall is always about ten yards away, using it as your target turns a long, difficult shot into a short, easy one.
  • Settle on one pre-kick routine - how you place the ball, your steps back, your mental cues - and repeat it exactly the same way every time you practice.
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  • Run up to the ball from an angle rather than straight on, so your foot can wrap around the outside of the ball to generate curl.

Common mistakes

  • Taking a slow, tentative run-up or easing off the ball instead of driving all the way through and landing on the shooting foot, which produces a weak, floaty kick the keeper has time to save.
  • Aiming your plant foot and shot straight at the target instead of allowing for the curl, which pulls the ball back toward the middle or drags it wide of the post.
How To Curl The Ball | Step By Step Bending Shooting Tutorial
Beginner
How To Curl The Ball | Step By Step Bending Shooting Tutorial

Reviewer Best-in-class step-by-step free-kick technique breakdown.

Moderator Curling/bending the ball around a wall is the classic direct free-kick technique — this is squarely what a free-kick taker needs: run-up angle, plant foot placement and angle, contact point for curl, backswing for power.

3.7
How to shoot a knuckleball | Learn CR7 free kick
Advanced
How to shoot a knuckleball | Learn CR7 free kick

Reviewer Thorough, credible knuckleball breakdown, strong learning.

Moderator Step-by-step knuckleball free-kick technique, run-up, contact area, strike point, follow-through. Exactly the sub-skill.

3.7
Free Kick Tutorial: 3 Simple Steps to Score | TikTok
Beginner
Free Kick Tutorial: 3 Simple Steps to Score | TikTok

Moderator Full free kick breakdown -- run-up, contact point, follow-through, and how much to practice it. Entirely free-kick technique.

Reviewer Covers the whole technique properly and sets realistic expectations for practice.

3.6
Laced Technique vs Curled Technique (The CRUCIAL Difference)
Intermediate
Laced Technique vs Curled Technique (The CRUCIAL Difference)

Reviewer One of the most technically precise shooting breakdowns you'll find — a must-watch for free-kick takers.

Moderator Deep technical comparison of the laced (power) vs. curled shooting technique — approach angle, hip/leg rotation, ankle position, contact point, follow-through. This is the core shooting mechanics used on free kicks, even though framed generically as 'shots' rather than dead-ball free kicks specifically.

3.6
How To Whip A Ball | Step By Step Free Kick Shooting Tutorial
Beginner
How To Whip A Ball | Step By Step Free Kick Shooting Tutorial

Reviewer Detailed, accurate striking breakdown — very good.

Moderator Step-by-step direct free kick — setup routine, run-up angle, plant-foot placement for curl, strike zone on the instep and lower-right of the ball, follow-through and dismount. Pure free-kick coaching.

3.6
Master your Free Kicks! Can you curve the ball? - Instagram
Beginner
Master your Free Kicks! Can you curve the ball? - Instagram

Moderator Four clean technical points -- contact height, follow-through direction, exact foot-contact spot, and run-up angle. Entirely free-kick fundamentals.

Reviewer Specific enough that you can actually check your own technique against it.

3.5
How To Curl The Ball | Step By Step Curling Shot Technique Tutorial For Footballers
Beginner
How To Curl The Ball | Step By Step Curling Shot Technique Tutorial For Footballers

Reviewer Clear, structured, and genuinely teaches you the mechanics step by step.

Moderator A genuine step-by-step curling/whipping technique tutorial - approach angle, stride length, plant foot position, back swing, contact point on foot and ball. This is exactly the mechanical skill behind whipped free kicks, taught from the ground up.

3.5
4 ESSENTIAL SHOOTING TECHNIQUES EXPLAINED
Intermediate
4 ESSENTIAL SHOOTING TECHNIQUES EXPLAINED

Reviewer Best video in this batch for actually learning free-kick striking options.

Moderator This breaks down four striking techniques - driven, curling, outside-of-foot, and knuckleball - the exact toolkit used for free kicks (curl around a wall, knuckleball to beat the keeper). Very much on topic for free-kick technique.

3.4
My Best Set-Piece Tips (how to score curling free kicks in soccer)
Beginner
My Best Set-Piece Tips (how to score curling free kicks in soccer)

Reviewer Practical, specific coaching cues you can use immediately.

Moderator Squarely about free kicks: mental prep, ball placement, run-up rhythm, contact point on the ball (inside of the big toe, bottom third), and follow-through direction. This is a genuine free-kick technique lesson from someone with real playing pedigree.

3.3
Every Player Should Master This Technique | A Pro Guide To Whipping The Ball
Intermediate
Every Player Should Master This Technique | A Pro Guide To Whipping The Ball

Reviewer Clear, well-demonstrated technique cues for generating curl.

Moderator About generating whip/curl on a strike from open play (angle of approach, hip/shoulder alignment, contact point) - this is the same striking technique used on free kicks, even though framed generally as 'finishing'. Strongly relevant, if slightly generic to 'shooting' rather than dead-ball specific.

3.0
How to Take a Curling Free Kick
Beginner
How to Take a Curling Free Kick

Reviewer Good fundamentals, but a bit hand-wavy on run-up and follow-through.

Moderator Whole video walks through fundamentals of the curling free kick: run-up, where to strike the ball, follow through.

2.9
How to Shoot with CURVE in Soccer
Beginner
How to Shoot with CURVE in Soccer

Reviewer Well-structured, practical curve-shot lesson.

Moderator A genuine curve-shot tutorial that explicitly calls out free kicks as a use case for the technique — curving the ball is core free-kick technique.

2.7
How To Curve A Soccer Ball Consistently (Curl Technique)
Intermediate
How To Curve A Soccer Ball Consistently (Curl Technique)

Reviewer Clear, technical, and directly useful for bending free kicks.

Moderator Curling technique is a core component of free kicks — most free kicks over a wall rely on exactly this bend. Not explicitly framed as 'free kick' but directly transferable, and references a companion free-kick video.

2.7
How to SHOOT WITH CURVE in 3 Minutes
Beginner
How to SHOOT WITH CURVE in 3 Minutes

Reviewer Efficient, clear curve-shot lesson.

Moderator Curve-shot tutorial that explicitly names free kicks as an application — same strong fit as the other curve video.

2.6
How To Knuckleball | Step By Step Knuckleball Shooting Tutorial For Footballers
Intermediate
How To Knuckleball | Step By Step Knuckleball Shooting Tutorial For Footballers

Reviewer Really clean, specific technical teaching — you could go try this today.

Moderator This is a real football shooting technique — the knuckleball — and the coach explicitly discusses it in the context of dead-ball situations, though he says he'd personally pick a more consistent shot for an actual free kick. It shares the same run-up/plant-foot/contact-point fundamentals free-kick takers need, so it's genuinely useful adjacent technique even if not framed as THE free-kick shot.

2.6
Free Kick Technique: Stop Sending It Over the Wall or Wide - TikTok
Intermediate
Free Kick Technique: Stop Sending It Over the Wall or Wide - TikTok

Moderator Two technique options for beating the wall -- around it with curl, or over it with a steeper contact angle. On topic, compressed into a fast rundown.

Reviewer Good content, just wish it lingered on the technique instead of rushing to the sign-off.

2.5
The 5 Best Ways to Shoot a Soccer / Football
Intermediate
The 5 Best Ways to Shoot a Soccer / Football

Reviewer Solid knuckleball coaching, believable and specific.

Moderator Covers the power shot and knuckleball specifically — the knuckleball especially is a classic free-kick weapon (think Ronaldo/Juninho style dead-ball strikes).

2.5
How to CURVE a BALL | Take AMAZING Free kicks!
Beginner
How to CURVE a BALL | Take AMAZING Free kicks!

Reviewer Legit but shallow tips; fine for beginners.

Moderator Hindi voiceover, but the content is a curve/free-kick tutorial: strike inside of foot and laces, hit lower edge, plus five game tips (visualize, angled run-up, aim central, placement, watch keeper).

2.1
How to SHOOT WITH POWER in 3 Minutes
Beginner
How to SHOOT WITH POWER in 3 Minutes

Reviewer Tight, technical power-shot breakdown.

Moderator A power-shot tutorial — power free kicks are common, but the video is framed as general shooting, not free-kick specific.

2.0
5 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR FREE KICKS | epic free kick tips
Beginner
5 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR FREE KICKS | epic free kick tips

Reviewer Decent practice tips, no actual technique taught.

Moderator All about free-kick practice, keeper, wall, more balls, routine, variety. On the sub-skill but it is about how to practice rather than how to strike.

2.0
How to Kick a Soccer Ball the Right Way (Step-By-Step)
Beginner
How to Kick a Soccer Ball the Right Way (Step-By-Step)

Reviewer Clear, correct, and easy to apply.

Moderator Same content as the other 'ultimate guide' video — explicitly mentions free kicks as an application of the 5-step shooting framework (approach, focus, body control, impact, follow-through). Mostly generic shooting technique rather than free-kick-specific setup.

1.9
How To Kick a Soccer Ball Properly (Shoot With Power Fast)
Beginner
How To Kick a Soccer Ball Properly (Shoot With Power Fast)

Reviewer Clear, correct, and easy to apply — good value even if not free-kick-only.

Moderator Explicitly says it will cover free kicks as one of the shooting applications, and the 5-step framework (attack the ball, focus, body control, strong impact, follow-through) is exactly the technique base a free-kick taker needs. Still, most of the runtime is generic shooting, not free-kick-specific setup like run-up rhythm or the wall.

1.9
TOP 5 WAYS to SHOOT a Ball and SCORE MORE GOALS
Beginner
TOP 5 WAYS to SHOOT a Ball and SCORE MORE GOALS

Reviewer Clear, practical rundown of core shot types.

Moderator Covers lob, outside curve, power shot, standard curve and inside-foot pass — general shooting toolkit, several pieces (curve especially) map onto free-kick technique even though it isn't framed as free-kick specific.

1.8
How to Hit a Long Ball in Soccer/Football
Intermediate
How to Hit a Long Ball in Soccer/Football

Reviewer Detailed, well-taught long-ball mechanics.

Moderator About the long ball/driven lofted pass — mechanically related to a lofted free kick (contact point, lean-back, follow-through) but it's framed as a passing technique, not a free kick or shot on goal.

1.7
Can't do the knuckleball? TRY THIS easy technique
Intermediate
Can't do the knuckleball? TRY THIS easy technique

Reviewer Useful, concrete cues once you get past the joking around.

Moderator The knuckleball is a specific, well-known free-kick technique (think Ronaldo), and this video directly addresses where to strike the ball and body positioning to produce it - squarely on topic even if casually delivered.

1.6
Master 3 Free-Kick Techniques for Soccer Success - TikTok
Intermediate
Master 3 Free-Kick Techniques for Soccer Success - TikTok

Reviewer Interesting framing, but doesn't really teach you how to hit any of them.

Moderator Framed around three free-kick techniques, which is squarely the skill, though it reads more like a menu of options than a breakdown of how to execute any of them.

1.4
25 WAYS TO SHOOT A FOOTBALL OR SOCCER BALL
Intermediate
25 WAYS TO SHOOT A FOOTBALL OR SOCCER BALL

Reviewer Useful reference list, but shallow and ad-heavy.

Moderator A rapid-fire catalogue of 25 shot types, several of which (curve, knuckleball, swerve) are exactly what you'd use from a free kick.

1.4