Free Kicks

Christian Atsu is one of the horde of 30-something Chelsea players out on loan for all eternity. After impressing at Portugal’s Rio Ave, Chelsea shelled out £3.5 million for the 21-year-old Ghanaian winger and immediately loaned him to the extremely Chelsea-friendly confines of Vitesse Arnhem.

He played well there, but not well enough to make Pedro or Willian fear for their Chelsea careers. So off Atsu went, making loan stops at Everton, Bournemouth and Malaga while making headlines at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations by scoring this banger.

Given Cristiano Ronaldo Jr's father is one of the best footballers in the world — and, indeed, of all time — we should not be remotely surprised at the content of this video.

Just scoring a goal in De Klassieker, the biggest club football rivalry in the Netherlands pitting Amsterdam’s Ajax and Rotterdam’s Feyenoord, is grounds for footballing legend. Factor in the additional importance of this early goal being the impetus for Ajax’s 2-1 victory, a result which saw them close the gap on their most hated rival to only three points at the top of the Eredivisie table, and it’s bordering on folkloric status. 

Cristiano Ronaldo hit his 69th and 70th international goals for Portugal on Saturday to join an elite club of players to have reached such a milestone. At 32, you wouldn’t put it past Ronaldo to some day eclipse Ferenc Puskas’ European record total of 84 international goals.

Both of his goals were extremely well taken against Hungary, but it was the historic 70th that both celebrated his unique skill and outlined his vast contribution to the sport of football. 

Miguel Layun is primarily a fullback and defensive midfielder, but that doesn't stop him from ripping off free kicks like this one in Porto's 7-0 victory over CD Nacional de Madeira. 

Señor golazo de Layún con el Porto!!!! #PowerMexicano #PortoxESPN pic.twitter.com/Hwaz8w0n4Y