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#3 Lionel Messi - 5 direct free-kicks
Lionel Messi has arguably been the best free-kick taker in the world over the past several years. It is worth noting that Messi was not a set-piece specialist in the early phases of his career. The Argentine international started working on that particular aspect of his game later on.
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But like almost everything else, he became the very best in the business at free-kicks once he started working on them. Messi's technique is also more about placement than power when it comes to free-kicks.
The 34-year-old has deposited the ball in the back of the net from a direct free-kick five times in the Champions League.
#2 Juninho Pernambucano - 10 direct free-kicks
Former Brazil international Juninho Pernambucano is considered by many to be the greatest free-kick taker in the history of the game. He was a set-piece specialist whose signature bending free-kicks were the stuff of nightmares for goalkeepers.
Juninho developed and popularized the knuckleball technique which is now being used by a number of players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Marcus Rashford etc. Few players understood how to manipulate a static or dead ball as well as the Brazilian did.
He has scored 10 direct free-kicks in the UEFA Champions League.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo - 12 direct free-kicks
Cristiano Ronaldo's free-kick abilities might not be at the same level as they used to be. But while the Portuguese international was at the peak of his powers, scoring from set-pieces was such an important part of his game.
The 36-year-old also used the 'knuckleball' technique to great effect. He'd consistently bang the ball into the back of the net with an incredible amount of swerve and dip. Whenever Ronaldo gets his technique right, the goalkeeper stands no chance.
Ronaldo's thunderbolt from about 35 yards out against Arsenal for Manchester United in the 2007-08 Champions League was one of the best in the competition's history. He continues to take free-kicks even to this day but is not as effective as he used to be.
He still leads the active players on the list of most goals scored from direct free-kicks by quite a distance.
