17.Rivaldo

Power, curve, and genius placement: Rivellino scored absolutely classic game-changing direct-free-kick goals against Czechoslovakia and East Germany upon the biggest World stage. Yet, he gunned his shots in while the balls were still heavy and slow. Rivellino must be a top 10 direct-kick specialist of all times; perhaps top 5.
Go watch footage of Rivellino, you will not be sorry. He was the original master of elastico, had a rare close-control dribble mastery in dense traffic. All time greats like Ronaldinho and Maradona are self-proclaimed disciples of his. And as one of the original direct-kick specialists, he introduced shots that few can ever repeat.

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