Last month the BBC did an article asking if Dimitri Payet had scored the best free-kick in Premier League history. Payet, of course, scored a number of special free-kicks in his time at West Ham; some in the League but also in our FA Cup run that season, most notably at Old Trafford against Manchester United. However, the free-kick in question was at Upton Park, in the Premier League, against Crystal Palace in April 2016. This free-kick was obviously late in the season, our last to be played at Upton Park – The Boleyn Ground, so we had already been spoiled with fantastic free-kicks already scored by Payet.
Embed from Getty ImagesWitnessing the Wizardry at Upton Park
I was there that day with my dad, Terry. We were sat in the West Stand, Lower Tier, between the 18-yard box of the Sir Trevor Brooking Stand End and the half-way line. They were excellent season ticket seats. So often in that season, my dad and I had conversations on the train to the match about what magic we would witness from our French wizard, Payet. Well, on this day we definitely experienced wizardry. Whenever a free-kick was awarded, every West Ham fan was on the edge of their seat. This was no different. Payet and Cresswell were standing over the ball, which was to the left of the 18-yard box; the ball almost in line with the corner of the six-yard box. Crystal Palace had seven (yes seven) men who were standing in the wall. They had obviously done their homework. As well as this, two West Ham players (Kouyate and Lanzini) were also standing on the end of the wall. Wayne Hennessey, Crystal Palace’s goalkeeper that day, was standing in a good position, just left of centre. This was almost encouraging our maverick to aim over his seven-man wall towards the other top corner. Payet had other ideas.
The Unbelievable Accuracy Against Hennessey
He stepped back, getting into position. He then ran up and curled the ball (which seemed effortless) into the other top corner (Hennessey’s left) which in theory had a limited chance of success due to Hennessey’s positioning. The ball, floated in mid-air, hitting the post/bar and nestled in the top corner. The accuracy was unbelievable. What a thing of beauty we had just witnessed. It had not only bamboozled Hennessey but it had also bamboozled us. You can see from the replay that Hennessey anticipated that Payet would aim for the other top corner as he ever so slightly stepped that way, having to step back quickly as he realised Payet was trying the almost impossible.
Comparing Premier League and International Wonders
There are many fantastic free-kicks that have been scored in Premier League history. Many of the high end free-kicks were scored by David Beckham of course but also by West Ham’s very own James Ward-Prowse, who still awaits his first one for West Ham. One that I saw on TV that was quite unique was scored by Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford for Manchester United against Portsmouth in 2008. He has hit the ball, on the laces but also using the inside of his foot and it has flown into the top corner. It did start a trend of people trying this technique so I think that stands out. This was not in the Premier League, but in an international match in 1997, in the Tournoi de France. Roberto Carlos scored an unbelievable free-kick against France. It was so far out; he hit it with the outside of his left-foot and it started so far away from the goal but curled in, which makes this free-kick stand out to me.
A Piece of Magic: The Verdict
Maybe I am biased but I think that Dimitri Payet’s free-kick against Crystal Palace has to be voted the best Premier League free-kick in history. It was not unexpected that somehow Payet would score from the free-kick but to actually place it into the top corner that not many thought he would aim for, and be so accurate suggests that it is special. Slaven Bilic in an interview, after the game said: ‘What can I say? It was a great free-kick…it was a piece of magic.’ I 100% agree with him!
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