FIFA World Cup Set Piece Takers [Qatar 2022 Edition]

The FIFA World Cup is finally here!

Yes, that’s right.

Perhaps the most eagerly anticipated competitive tournament in the history of sport is about to get underway.

In a nutshell, 32 footballing nations come together every four years to battle for the prestigious title of best team in the world.

You get to see the most talented superstars showcase their ability on the global stage, which brings a lot of excitement.

With that in mind, we thought it would be a good idea to take a look at the dead ball specialists who’ll be responsible for whipping in those free kicks and corners on the game’s biggest stage.

But, why is this important?

Well, by identifying the set piece takers present at the World Cup, spectators can develop more informed opinions about the teams in action, as well as make better predictions with regard to match outcomes.

So, let’s get right down to business.

 

World Cup set piece takers list for Qatar 2022

The names you’ll see in the table below have been compiled by watching footage of numerous World Cup qualifying games, international friendlies and Nations League matches, so you can be sure that this is the most up to date list on the internet!

 

Group A

NationPenalties (Main)Penalties (Alternate)Free Kicks (Main)Free Kicks (Alternate 1)Free Kicks (Alternate 2)Corners (Main)Corners (Alternate 1)Corners (Alternate 2)
QatarAkram AfifAlmoez AliAli AssadallaAli Assadalla
EcuadorEnner ValenciaJordy CaicedoÁngel MenaPervis EstupiñánJeremy SarmientoÁngel Mena
SenegalIsmaïla SarrBoulaye DiaIsmaïla SarrIdrissa GueyeIsmaïla SarrIdrissa Gueye
NetherlandsMemphis DepayFrenkie De JongMemphis DepayFrenkie De JongVirgil Van DijkMemphis DepayCody Gakpo

 

Group B

NationPenalties (Main)Penalties (Alternate)Free Kicks (Main)Free Kicks (Alternate 1)Free Kicks (Alternate 2)Corners (Main)Corners (Alternate 1)Corners (Alternate 2)
EnglandHarry KaneKieran TrippierKieran TrippierMason MountEric DierKieran TrippierMason MountPhil Foden
IranMehdi TaremiEhsan HajsafiAlireza JahanbakhshAli GholizadehAlireza JahanbakhshAli Gholizadeh
USAChristian PulisicHaji WrightChristian PulisicYunus MusahBrenden AaronsonChristian PulisicBrenden Aaronson
WalesGareth BaleBrennan JohnsonGareth BaleHarry WilsonJoe AllenHarry WilsonJoe Allen

 

Group C

NationPenalties (Main)Penalties (Alternate)Free Kicks (Main)Free Kicks (Alternate 1)Free Kicks (Alternate 2)Corners (Main)Corners (Alternate 1)Corners (Alternate 2)
ArgentinaLionel MessiLautaro MartinezLionel MessiRodrigo De PaulAngel Di MariaLionel MessiAngel Di MariaRodrigo De Paul
Saudi ArabiaSalem Al DawsariSalman Al FarajSalman Al Faraj
MexicoRaúl JiménezAlexis VegaHirving LozanoHirving Lozano
PolandRobert LewandowskiPiotr ZielińskiPiotr ZielińskiPiotr Zieliński

 

Group D

NationPenalties (Main)Penalties (Alternate)Free Kicks (Main)Free Kicks (Alternate 1)Free Kicks (Alternate 2)Corners (Main)Corners (Alternate 1)Corners (Alternate 2)
FranceKylian MbappeOlivier GiroudAntoine GriezmannOusmane DembéléAntoine GriezmannOusmane Dembélé
AustraliaJamie MaclarenAaron MooyAjdin HrusticAaron MooyMartin BoyleAaron MooyAjdin HrusticMartin Boyle
DenmarkKasper DolbergChristian EriksenChristian EriksenAndreas Skov OlsenChristian EriksenAndreas Skov Olsen
TunisiaWahbi KhazriMohamed Ali Ben RomdhaneWahbi KhazriAnis Ben SlimaneWahbi KhazriAnis Ben Slimane

 

Group E

NationPenalties (Main)Penalties (Alternate)Free Kicks (Main)Free Kicks (Alternate 1)Free Kicks (Alternate 2)Corners (Main)Corners (Alternate 1)Corners (Alternate 2)
SpainFerran TorresAlvaro MorataPablo SarabiaPedriJordi AlbaPablo SarabiaPedriKoke
Costa RicaJoel CampbellBryan OviedoBryan Oviedo
Germanyİlkay GündoğanThomas MüllerJoshua KimmichJonas Hofmannİlkay GündoğanJoshua KimmichJonas HofmannLeroy Sane
JapanYuya OsakoDaichi KamadaTakefusa KuboDaichi KamadaTakefusa Kubo

 

Group F

NationPenalties (Main)Penalties (Alternate)Free Kicks (Main)Free Kicks (Alternate 1)Free Kicks (Alternate 2)Corners (Main)Corners (Alternate 1)Corners (Alternate 2)
BelgiumEden HazardKevin De BruyneKevin De BruyneEden HazardYouri TielemansKevin De BruyneEden HazardLeandro Trossard
CanadaAlphonso DaviesJonathan DavidAlphonso DaviesStephen EustáquioJunior HoilettAlphonso DaviesJunior HoilettStephen Eustáquio
CroatiaAndrej KramarićLuka ModrićLuka ModrićIvan PerišićBorna SosaLuka ModrićIvan PerišićBorna Sosa
MoroccoYousef En-NesyriHakim ZiyechHakim ZiyechSofiane BoufalAmine HaritHakim ZiyechSofiane BoufalMunir El Haddadi

 

Group G

NationPenalties (Main)Penalties (Alternate)Free Kicks (Main)Free Kicks (Alternate 1)Free Kicks (Alternate 2)Corners (Main)Corners (Alternate 1)Corners (Alternate 2)
BrazilNeymarRaphinhaNeymarRaphinhaLucas PaquetáRaphinhaNeymarLucas Paquetá
SerbiaDušan TadićAleksandar MitrovićFilip KostićDušan TadićFilip KostićDušan Tadić
SwitzerlandHaris SeferovicFabian SchärXherdan ShaqiriGranit XhakaRicardo RodriguezXherdan ShaqiriRicardo RodriguezGranit Xhaka
CameroonVincent AboubakarBryan MbuemoMoumi NgamaleuBryan MbuemoBryan MbuemoMoumi Ngamaleu

 

Group H

NationPenalties (Main)Penalties (Alternate)Free Kicks (Main)Free Kicks (Alternate 1)Free Kicks (Alternate 2)Corners (Main)Corners (Alternate 1)Corners (Alternate 2)
PortugalCristiano RonaldoBruno FernandesCristiano RonaldoBruno FernandesBernardo SilvaBruno FernandesBernardo SilvaRafael Leao
GhanaAndre AyewIñaki WilliamsAndre AyewIñaki WilliamsMohammed Kudus
UruguayLuis SuarezDarwin NúñezNicolás de la CruzLuis SuarezNicolás de la Cruz
Korea RepublicSon Heung-MinHwang Hee-ChanSon Heung-minKim Jin-SuSon Heung-Min

 

Which player is likely to score the most from free kicks at the World Cup?

This is actually a great question.

A good number of teams have players who are capable of delivering inch perfect corners and free kicks, such as:

  • Kevin De Bruyne – Belgium;
  • Neymar – Brazil; and
  • Lionel Messi – Argentina
world cup set piece takers - possible scorers

The Argentinian maestro is especially good at curving one in beyond the wall, as he’s registered an astonishing 60 free kick goals in his career so far.

You’d expect Messi to score at least one or two in the tournament, particularly if Argentina progress to the later rounds of the competition.

Also don’t be surprised to see some famous players use innovative defensive tactics, because the match stakes will be extremely high.

 

Changelog

Unfortunately, there are a number of players who have picked up injuries that will keep them out of the upcoming tournament.

Others simply missed out on final team selection having featured in qualifying matches and friendlies.

Here’s a short changelog to the set piece takers list that indicates which players miss out and their potential replacements for dead ball duty:

  1. Karim Benzema > Kylian Mbappe first choice to take penalties
  2. Phillipe Coutinho > Raphinha promoted to backup penalty taker as Coutinho wasn’t selected
  3. Sadio Mane > Ismaïla Sarr potentially takes spot kick duty as Mane misses the tournament because of a knee injury
Samuel Waihenya
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