Cruzeiro and Atlético idol analyzed great free kick takers throughout the history of Brazilian football
One of the greatest free kick takers of all time, former right-back Nelinho ruled himself out of the running and named the best free kick taker in history. In an exclusive interview, the shared idol of Cruzeiro and Atlético Mineiro analyzed some of the players who stood out from the dead ball game. It’s estimated that Nelinho scored around 180 goals in his career – mostly from free kicks or penalties.
For Galo, he scored 52 in 254 games. For Raposa, he scored 105 in 411 matches (some records point to 106 goals). The former full-back also scored for Grêmio, Bonsucesso-RJ, Deportivo Anzoátegui (Venezuela), the Minas Gerais national team, and the Brazilian national team.
Nelinho was captivated by one name: Marcelinho Carioca. When asked about the former Corinthians midfielder, he named him the greatest of all time. For the black and white idol, the “Angel Foot”‘s variety and ability to vary his shots made him stand out throughout his career. “For me, he’s the best of them all. I like him because it was my style. I liked shooting the way he did, too. From distance, from close range, with a bang. He had a great ability to strike the ball. For me, he is, to this day, the best free-kick taker Brazil has ever had. In the world too, because if he’s from Brazil, he’s from the world,” said Nelinho, who sees Marcelinho above international soccer stars like Milan idol Andrea Pirlo and Manchester United legend David Beckham. “Something like Pirlo, I don’t know what, Marcelinho Carioca was extraordinary. Beckham hit the ball well too, but you can’t compare, for God’s sake.”
