Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Roberto Carlos Free Kick

If you are a follower of the game of football - or soccer like it is called back in America - then you must have heard about Roberto Carlos.

Roberto Carlos is a Brazilian Footballer. 

He had been a part of the Brazilian National Football team for a long 14 years. He has been playing club football for the last 20 years. His stint with Real Madrid - spread over more than a decade - is well known.

He was a part of the team that won the Football World Cup in 2002.

In his hey days, he was a free kick speacialist. And this was much before the days of another free kick guru - David Beckham.

He is most well known for a free kick which he took against France way back in 1997.

Shot from a distance of approx 35 meters (115 feet) - with four defenders from the French team forming the wall - the ball made a swirl which defied logic. It beat six French players and made it's way to the goal. 

The only thing that the the French goal keeper - Fabien Barthez - could do was just watch the ball fly past him. It left him completely stunned.

Catch the goal right below.



This goal is widely regarded as the best free kick ever.

It is so famous that a few French scientist's have published a technical paper on this very goal.

Read more here.