Rice’s free kicks were special but Nakamura’s tops the lot in UCL

The Celtic Star

·11 avril 2025

Rice’s free kicks were special but Nakamura’s tops the lot in UCL

Declan Rice’s free kicks were both extra special but Shunsuke Nakamura’s against Manchester United remains the best ever free kick in the Champions League…

Declan Rice of Arsenal scores his team’s first goal from a free kick as Jude Bellingham, Antonio Ruediger, Eduardo Camavinga and Federico Valverde of Real Madrid jump in a defensive wall during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Quarter Final First Leg match between Arsenal FC and Real Madrid C.F. at Emirates Stadium on April 08, 2025. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Declan’s Double

Declan Rice of Arsenal scored a cracking brace of free kicks in the Gunners Champions League rout of Real Madrid at the Emirates on Tuesday night, and it had more than a few folk suggesting that it was the two best free kicks ever seen in one game of football.

Vidéos OneFootball

Did someone mention two free-kicks in one game? 🎯
– jeudi 10 avril 2025

Griffiths at the double against England

Whilst Leigh Griffiths might have something to say about that, there’s one thing we can all agree on, neither of the England international Rice’s efforts come close to Shunsuke Nakamura’s cracker at Celtic Park back in 2006 against Sir Alex Ferguson’s all-star Man United side.

Naka’s goal against Man Utd tops the lot

Naka was a sublime dead ball expert, possibly the best our domestic game has ever seen, and his sublime strike that November night against Manchester United ranks as perhaps the greatest free kick effort in Champions League history. And remember he too did it twice against Manchester United with the other one coming at Old Trafford.

🗓 21st November 2006 Celtic 1 Man Utd 0 Nakamura and Boruc the heroes to send Celtic into the last 16 of the Champions League 🍀
– jeudi 21 novembre 2024

Nakamura beat a top quality keeper in Edwin Van Der Sar with a ferocious shot with that talented left peg, a considerable distance from goal in a moment of sheer magic that will be forever remembered, and not just by the Celtic supporters.

Declan Rice of Arsenal scores his team’s second goal from a free kick during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Quarter Final First Leg match between Arsenal FC and Real Madrid C.F. at Emirates Stadium on April 08, 2025. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Rice’s goals were top quality especially the brilliant second strike which I roundly applauded, but Naka’s effort will take some beating for me.

And since we are talking about Naka’s free kicks, remember him winning the league for us against Kilmarnock with this beauty deep into stoppage time?

'If anyone can do it, he can.' Nakamura with a title winning free kick at Kilmarnock. Great to see Tommy Burns and Strachan enjoying the moment there.
– lundi 13 mai 2024

What a wonderful player The King of Japan was for Celtic.

Here are the two Declan Rice free kicks against Real Madrid for comparison. Tell us what you think?