3 ms·

Pirlo's free kick mentioned in the article: http://gfycat.com/CourteousHatefulBat http://gfycat.com/CourteousHatefulBat Roberto Carlos' free kick: http://www.y

Pirlo's free kick mentioned in the article: http://gfycat.com/CourteousHatefulBat http://gfycat.com/CourteousHatefulBat Roberto Carlos' free kick: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl0LHM-33Io http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl0LHM-33Io

amarcus 12y ago
Don't forget this classic Carlos goal - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnXA0PoEE6Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnXA0PoEE6Y
- rbonvall 12y ago
  (Nitpick: Carlos is not a family name. Roberto Carlos is the full given name. His surname is da Silva Rocha).
  - JetSpiegel 12y ago
    Nitpickier: Carlos is not his family name, but there are people with Carlos as family name.
kokoloko 12y ago
Notice how the ball in Pirlo's free kick is barely spinning, goes very fast and the path is very unpredictable. It's called a "Folha seca" and it exploits the turbulences to make the ball drop at the last moment. Very spectacular, but hard to score consistently.
- eyko 12y ago
  It's spinning, and the amount of curve matches the amount of speed. The unpredictability comes from the fact that the axis is also spinning, but very slowly. It's hard to get the topspin and rotation on the ball, and still hit the target. But these guys train shots for a living.
  - dmoo 12y ago
    If you have a few minutes have a look at Juninho, one of the best ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NesfdRNtwsE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NesfdRNtwsE Also don't forget the boots are designed to work the ball, for example http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adidas_Predator http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adidas_Predator
- adestefan 12y ago
  This is the same principle that makes a knuckleball drop unpredictably and very, very difficult to control. The way that a great pitcher can control a baseball is amazing to watch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiSucVCuc8g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiSucVCuc8g
petepete 12y ago
Here's a slightly better quality version of Pirlo's free kick: http://gfycat.com/CompetentDefensiveGosling http://gfycat.com/CompetentDefensiveGosling
happy4crazy 12y ago
Hakan Calhanoglu's absurd free-kick from near the half-field line has to rank up there with Roberto Carlos's: http://www.highlighthub.com/hakan-calhanoglu-scores-amazing-free-kick-against-dortmund-video/ http://www.highlighthub.com/hakan-calhanoglu-scores-amazing-...

amarcus 12y ago

Don't forget this classic Carlos goal - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnXA0PoEE6Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnXA0PoEE6Y

rbonvall 12y ago
(Nitpick: Carlos is not a family name. Roberto Carlos is the full given name. His surname is da Silva Rocha).
- JetSpiegel 12y ago
  Nitpickier: Carlos is not his family name, but there are people with Carlos as family name.

kokoloko 12y ago

Notice how the ball in Pirlo's free kick is barely spinning, goes very fast and the path is very unpredictable. It's called a "Folha seca" and it exploits the turbulences to make the ball drop at the last moment. Very spectacular, but hard to score consistently.

eyko 12y ago
It's spinning, and the amount of curve matches the amount of speed. The unpredictability comes from the fact that the axis is also spinning, but very slowly. It's hard to get the topspin and rotation on the ball, and still hit the target. But these guys train shots for a living.
- dmoo 12y ago
  If you have a few minutes have a look at Juninho, one of the best ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NesfdRNtwsE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NesfdRNtwsE Also don't forget the boots are designed to work the ball, for example http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adidas_Predator http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adidas_Predator
adestefan 12y ago
This is the same principle that makes a knuckleball drop unpredictably and very, very difficult to control. The way that a great pitcher can control a baseball is amazing to watch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiSucVCuc8g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiSucVCuc8g

petepete 12y ago

Here's a slightly better quality version of Pirlo's free kick: http://gfycat.com/CompetentDefensiveGosling http://gfycat.com/CompetentDefensiveGosling

happy4crazy 12y ago

Hakan Calhanoglu's absurd free-kick from near the half-field line has to rank up there with Roberto Carlos's: http://www.highlighthub.com/hakan-calhanoglu-scores-amazing-free-kick-against-dortmund-video/ http://www.highlighthub.com/hakan-calhanoglu-scores-amazing-...