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Free-kicks For Free-kicks Against

This is a list of goals scored for and against England by the direct free-kick. Some may have been deflected in, but all were taken directly.
 

Free-Kicks by Numbers

 

Free-kicks scored for

31

Free-kicks scored against

35

  

The thirty-one Direct Free-kicks scored by England

 1897-98
28 March 1898, 3-0 vs. Wales,
The Racecourse, Wrexham.
Fred Wheldon, the inside-left, appears to have scored the first-ever direct free-kick against James Trainer, after nine minutes, albeit 'glancing off' Charles Parry.

1905-06
9 April 1906, 1-2 vs. Scotland,
Hampden Park, Glasgow
Debutant Albert Shepherd scored a 'rocket delivery from a direct free-kick' nine minutes from time.

1927-28
31 March 1928, 1-5 vs. Scotland,
Empire Stadium, Wembley
Bob Kelly, the inside-right, was playing his final match for England at the age of 34. So in the final minute of his final match, he became the oldest to score a goal when he scored with a twenty-five yard free-kick.

1932-33
7 December 1932, 4-3 vs. Austria,
Stamford Bridge, Chelsea
Eric Houghton's 77th minute free-kick was hit so hard, it went in off Karl Gall's head, deceiving Rudolf Hiden.

1933-34
6 December 1933, 4-1 vs. France,
White Hart Lane, Tottenham
Eric Brook scored
his 21st minute free-kick after a French defender unfairly elbowed an England player. His left-footed kick reached the corner of the goal.
14 April 1934, 3-0 vs. Scotland, Empire Stadium, Wembley
Eric Brook scored a free-kick for the second match in a row, also the second of the season, and the second such goal against Scotland. Although the 75th minute 25-yard kick was deflected past John Jackson by Jimmy Marshall.

1934-35
14 November 1934, 3-2 vs. Italy,
Arsenal Stadium, Highbury
Eric Brook again scores from a free-kick, this time in the twelfth minute. His thirty-yard strike beat Carlo Ceresoli. His third succesfully converted direct free-kick.

1936-37
2 December 1936, 6-2 vs. Hungary,
Arsenal Stadium, Highbury

Cliff Britton scored a 52nd minute free-kick. Goalkeeper Antal Szabó appeared to be more concerened watched Ted Drake's tactics, instead of Britton's first goal for his country.

1973-74
29 May 1974, 1-1 vs. German Democratic Republic,
Zentralstadion, Leipzig
Astonishingly, Mick Channon's 68th minute free-kick was the first England had scored for 37½ years. His twenty-yard drive left the German 'keeper helpless.

1977-78
19 April 1978, 1-1 vs. Brazil,
Wembley Stadium, Wembley
Kevin Keegan's scored a seventieth minute equalising free-kick, bending around the wall and beyond
Leao. The tenth successful free-kick for England.

1983-84
12 October 1983, 3-0 vs. Hungary,
Népstadion, Budapest
Glenn Hoddle became the first player to score a free-kick in a competitive match. His thirteenth minute goal curled into the top left-hand corner beating Attila Kovacs.

1992-93
18 November 1992, 4-0 vs. Turkey, Wembley Stadium, Wembley
Stuart Pearce's 61st minute free-kick was deflected past Hayrettin.
28 April 1993, 2-2 vs. Netherlands,
Wembley Stadium, Wembley
John Barnes' first minute free-kick beat Ed de Goeij. His left-footed drilled shot ended in the top corner.

1993-94
8 September 1993, 4-0 vs. Poland, Wembley Stadium, Wembley
Stuart Pearce's 53rd minute free-kick was blasted in from 22 yards, beating Jaroslaw Bako. His second successul free-kick, ten months after his last.

1998 World Cup Finals
26 June 1998, 2-0 vs. Colombia
, Stade Félix-Bollaert, Lens

David Beckham becomes the first England player to score from a free-kick in a Finals Tournament. His 29th minute goal curled around the defensive wall, crept inside the left post, beyond Mondragon's reach.

1998-99
5 September 1998, 1-2 vs. Sweden,
Råsunda Fotbollstadion, Solna
Alan Shearer scored a first minute free-kick. The kick curled around the defensive wall, and although Magnus Hedman got his hands to it, he only pushed it into the net.

2000-01
25 May 2001, 4-0 vs. Mexico,
Pride Park Stadium, Derby
David Beckham scored his second successful free-kick after 29 minutes. His 25 yard kick curled over the wall and into the top corner.
For the first time,
Teddy Sheringham's 74th minute free-kick meant that England had scored from two free-kicks in the same match. Substitute Sheringham's right-footed thirty-yard strike went in off Sanchez' post.
6 June 2001, 2-0 vs. Greece, Olympiakó Stádio Spiros Louis, Athína
David Beckham scored his third successful free-kick four minutes from time to secure England's victory. His central kick curled into the top corner.

2001-02
6 October 2001, 2-2 vs. Greece, Old Trafford, Manchester
David Beckham scored his fourth successful free-kick in the dying seconds of the match, their most important free-kick ever, their twentieth since 1898, secured their place in the 2002 World Cup Finals. From a central position, the shot curled into the top corner. The twentieth successful direct free-kick by England.

 2002-03
12 October 2002, 2-1 vs. Slovakia, Tehelné pole, Bratislava
David Beckham scored his fifth successful free-kick almost a year after his last, his thirty-five yard curling free-kick after 64 minutes was an equalising goal for his country, before they went on to win.
29 March 2003, 2-0 vs.
Liechtenstein, Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz
David Beckham's sixth successful free-kick was scored after 53 minutes, beating Peter Jehle.
3 June 2003, 2-1 vs. Serbia & Montenegro, Walkers Stadium, Leicester
Substitute Joe Cole
's first ever goal for his country was scored in the 82nd minute, securing England's win. His free-kick was from 22-yards, beating Dragan Zilić.

2004-05
28 May 2005, 3-2 vs. United States,
Soldier Field, Chicago
Debutant Kieran Richardson scored England's first direct free-kick for nearly two years when his kick curled into the top corner from twenty yards beating Kasey Keller after just four minutes.

2006 World Cup Finals
25 June 2006, 1-0 vs. Ecuador
,
Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion, Stuttgart
David Beckham
scored a stunning twenty-eight yard free-kick against Cristian Mora after an hour, the ball was whipped over the defensive wall and crept into the bottom corner of the near post, to score his sixth free-kick, England's second in a Finals Tournament, and 25th overall.

2012-13
7 September 2012, 5-0 vs. Moldova,
Zimbru Stadium, Chişinău
Leighton Baines
scored an 83rd minute free-kick, his first goal for his country. Taken from just outside the area to the right of the goal, his left-footed shot took a wicked deflection and looped over Stanislav Namaşco.

22 March 2013, 8-0 vs. San Marino, Stadio Olimpico di Serravalle, Serravalle
Wayne Rooney scored a 54th minute free-kick against Aldo Simoncini. His free-kick curled over the wall and nestled into the bottom corner.

2014-15
12 October 2014, 1-0 vs. Estonia, A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn
Wayne Rooney scored his second free-kick goal. It is only the second time that the free-kick has determined the resut of the game. His 73rd minute free-kick, from the left-hand corner of the area, went over the wall and dipped past Sergei Pareiko's dive.

2016 European Championship Finals
11 June 2016, 1-1 vs. Russia, Le Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
Eric Dier scored a 73rd minute free-kick, fired in beyond Igor Akinfeev. It is only the third England free-kick scored in a Finals Tournament.

2018 World Cup Finals
11 July 2018, 1-2 vs. Croatia
, Luzhniki Stadium, Moskva
Kieran Trippier's first ever goal for England was a 24-yard free-kick in the fifth minute after Luka Modrić had brought down Dele Alli. The thirtieth successful direct free-kick by England, the third in World Cup Finals, the fourth in the major Finals.

2022 World Cup Finals
29 November 2022, 3-0 vs. Wales
, Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan
Marcus Rashford's fourteenth goal for England was a right-footed 24-yard free-kick in the fifthieth minute after Ethan Ampadu had brought down Phil Foden. The thirty-first successful direct free-kick by England, the fourth in World Cup Finals, the fifth in the major Finals.

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