The Portuguese superstar hasn’t scored a free kick since April 29th in Munich, and has failed to score from 54 attempts since. In fact, 22 of Ronaldo’s attempts have gone against the wall, with one rebounding off the woodwork. Another thirteen have been missed, while 18 have been saved by the goalkeeper. What’s behind Ronaldo’s poor free kick form? The reason for his recent free-kick drought is down to two factors: technique and injuries.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s free-kick wizardry has faded
There’s been plenty of talk about Cristiano Ronaldo’s lack of success from free-kicks this season, but his statistics have been somewhat misleading. Real Madrid’s official website put a positive spin on the situation, noting that Ronaldo’s streak of poor free-kicks ended with a brilliant strike against Eibar in April. But, if you want to know the truth, Ronaldo hasn’t had much success from such attempts in recent months.
While Ronaldo remains the club’s main man, his free-kick wizardry has been waning in recent weeks. While he remains the club’s first choice for the role, Gareth Bale has been a more reliable option, with two sublime free-kicks this season. The Welshman’s ability is also proving to be a real asset on the international stage.
His technique has changed
Cristiano Ronaldo’s free-kick technique has not changed much since his decline at the start of the 2014-15 season. The ball remains uncomplicated but without the lift or unpredictable movement of a header. Ronaldo’s technique has remained consistent, but the micro-details in his swing leg velocity, trunk angle, and ball spin rate have changed. It’s not clear which of these changes caused his free-kick technique to change so dramatically.
In 2010, Ronaldo’s free-kicks were his greatest weapons. His knuckle ball technique enabled him to bang them in from all angles and distances. As he grew older, however, his free-kicks were less effective. It’s not an issue of confidence, as the player’s free-kick accuracy should continue to improve with age. In fact, he scored 44 free kicks during his first 12 seasons, but only nine in his last three years.
In 2003, Ronaldo moved to Manchester United and won three Premier League titles, a FA Cup, two League Cups, and a Champions League title. His technique and free-kicks were honed in Old Trafford, where he was coached by Sir Alex Ferguson and then replaced by Rene Meulensteen. The change in Ronaldo’s free-kick technique was an instant hit.
Although Dr. Brar, an NBA expert, has noted that Ronaldo’s free-kicks have become more precise, he’s not entirely sure why he lost touch. He’s only one person who can judge the changes in Ronaldo’s game. The next step is for him to consider taking a break from free-kick duties and adopting the Lionel Messi-like approach.
The change in Ronaldo’s technique is largely due to his consistency. Ronaldo now takes shorter and more direct runs and does a “vaulting” effect. His body lifts itself up with a higher fourth step and plants his left foot by the ball, which increases his balance and stability and creates a longer arc for his swing leg. This allows him to generate more power and accuracy, and his torso is relatively quiet, and his knee flexes forward to counterbalance the ball.
Although Messi’s free-kick goals are not as frequent as Ronaldo’s, his total career goal output has been higher than Ronaldo’s. He has scored five free-kick goals in the last two seasons and has nearly equalled Ronaldo’s total in that time. And though his free-kick goals have been on par with Ronaldo, Messi’s free-kick goals have been much more effective.
Despite Ronaldo’s increased efficiency in dead ball situations, he became less successful with free-kicks over the course of the last three seasons. His last free-kick in the Real Madrid colors came in the 2017 Club World Cup final. The goal turned out to be the game-winner, but his free-kick wizardry began to wane over time. He subsequently moved to Manchester United, but he has not yet scored a free-kick for Manchester United.
His injuries could be to blame
While injuries may have hampered Ronaldo’s performance initially, repeated misses are also believed to have impacted his mental state. It may be time for Ronaldo to simplify his free-kick routine and adopt a Lionel Messi-style technique instead. Dr. Brar’s advice has borne fruit for some other players as well.
One factor to consider is the differences in the structure of footballs and the way the balls fly. Despite this, Ronaldo’s striking technique has remained constant over the past year, compared to his previous nine. Several factors may affect this phenomenon, including the way the ball is positioned on his body during the strike. Furthermore, if Ronaldo is suffering from injuries in other parts of his body, he could alter his free-kick routine to compensate for the reduced accuracy of his free-kicks.
The Portuguese winger has struggled to score from free kicks in the last few seasons due to knee problems. A muscle injury in his left thigh and patella tendonitis in his left knee have both been linked with his poor goal scoring in Spain. The shaky form of Cristiano may have been due to the knee problem. But a good striker should still have a few tricks in his bag.
Despite the injury-related factors, some experts have suggested that Ronaldo’s lack of free-kick scoring could be down to his lack of fitness and mental state. The Portuguese winger’s recent film, The Man, focused on his injury at the World Cup. While he was upset at the defeat, he blamed his injury and missed chances.
Cristiano Ronaldo has not scored a free-kick in club football in almost a year, and it has been a cause for concern for his future. The Portuguese forward used to be considered a set-piece specialist, but his free-kicks have become increasingly unusable. He has not scored from a free-kick since 2010 and has missed up to 54 attempts for club and country. One spectacular free-kick against Spain in 2010 was a rare free-kick by the Portuguese superstar, but it was still a goal, and a ten-year hiatus is undoubtedly something to be worried about.
