A free kick taken on the edge of the penalty area is one of the most dangerous types of set pieces in soccer since it takes pinpoint accuracy to score. Goals scored from free kicks are notorious for being spectacular. It takes the best of the best to pull off such impressive shooting feats.
The amount of free kicks is often seen as the major point of contention between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Both superstars, though, have failed to score from a direct free kick in the 2022 World Cup, and the overall number of goals scored from such set pieces has dropped significantly in this year's edition of the tournament.
So far, just two attempts of this kind have been successful. Marcus Rashford's goal against Wales in England's last Group Stage encounter ended the Qatar free-kick drought. Mexico's Luis Chavez would then add another one the next day when his side faced Saudi Arabia.
Explained: Why soccer players lie behind the wall during free kicks
Fans of the sport have started to notice a new peculiar practice that soccer players have developed when they are out on the field. It's not uncommon to see a player lying behind his team's wall during a free-kick defense. Over the course of the last several years, this has grown more commonplace in the sport, and the 2022 World Cup is no exception.
When a free kick is taken, defenders form a wall in front of the goal and frequently must leap to be in a position to prevent the shot. However, there will be a space between where they jumped and the wall, making them vulnerable. As a result, it is common for teams to form a defensive line with a player lying on the floor behind the wall to prevent this opening.
Numerous players have successfully converted free-kick goals by sliding the ball under the defense and into the net. One way to lessen the likelihood of this occurring is to have a player stationed on the court to block any shots that sneak past the defense.
This trend has been growing over the last several years, but it gained widespread attention in July 2013 after a photo of Brazilian player Ricardinho sleeping down behind a wall went viral. Even while this perplexed spectators at the time, it is now considered a trailblazer, and the practice of players laying down behind the defensive line has become commonplace in soccer.